Crate with retractable wall

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10077152-B2
Application number	US-201615332400-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2016
Priority date	Jun 29, 2011
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A crate includes a base and a plurality of walls including a front wall. The front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position. In some embodiments, the front wall includes a frame, a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is hingeably connected to the frame and the second portion is hingeably connected to the first portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A crate comprising:
a base; and
a plurality of walls pivotably connected to the base and pivotable relative to the base between an upright position extending upward from the base and a collapsed position on the base, the plurality of walls including a front wall, the front wall including a frame, a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including a first horizontal portion, the second portion including a second horizontal portion, the first portion further including a pair of arms hingeably connected to the frame, wherein the second portion is hingeably connected to the pair of arms of the first portion, wherein the front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position.

2. The crate of claim 1 wherein the second portion includes a pair of arms.

3. The crate of claim 1 wherein the second portion is connected to the crate only via the pair of arms of the first portion.

4. The crate of claim 1 wherein the pair of arms extend downward from the horizontal portion of the first portion when the front wall is in the closed position and wherein the pair of arms extend upward from the horizontal portion of the first portion when the front wall is in the retracted, open position.

5. The crate of claim 4 wherein the second portion is hingeably connected to the arms of the first portion between the horizontal portion of the first portion and the hinged connection of the first portion to the frame.

6. The crate of claim 5 wherein the horizontal portion of the first portion is spaced vertically above the horizontal portion of the second portion when the front wall is in the closed position.

7. The crate of claim 6 wherein the horizontal portion of the first portion is at substantially the same height as the horizontal portion of the second portion when the front wall is in the retracted, open position.

8. The crate of claim 1 wherein the plurality of walls includes a pair of end walls adjacent the front wall.

9. The crate of claim 8 wherein each of the end walls includes a handle opening.

10. A crate comprising:
a base;
a pair of end walls pivotably connected to the base and configured to pivot relative to the base between an upright position extending upward from the base and a collapsed position on the base, a handle opening formed through each of the end walls;
a rear wall pivotably connected to the base and configured to pivot relative to the base between an upright position extending upward from the base and a collapsed position on the base;
a front wall including a frame, a first panel, a second panel, and a pair of arms hingeably connecting the first panel to the frame, the front wall reconfigurable between a retracted position and a closed position, the frame pivotably connected to the base and including an opening across which the first panel and second panel extend when the front wall is in the closed position, wherein the second panel is hingeably connected to the pair of arms between the first panel and the frame, wherein in the retracted position the first panel and the second panel are oriented vertically adjacent a bottom portion of the frame and overlap one another; and
latches selectively connecting the frame to the pair of end walls.

11. The crate of claim 10 wherein the pair of arms are formed integrally with the first panel.

12. The crate of claim 10 wherein the second panel portion is connected to the pair of arms by a second pair of arms.

13. The crate of claim 10 wherein the first panel is movable between the retracted position, the closed position and an intermediate position between the retracted position and the closed position, wherein the second panel hangs down freely from the pair of arms in the intermediate position.

14. The crate of claim 11 wherein the end walls are collapsible onto the rear wall and the front wall on the base.

15. The crate of claim 14 wherein the base includes a pair of end flanges projecting upward from end edges of the base, the end walls pivotably connected to upper ends of the pair of end flanges.

16. The crate of claim 15 wherein the front wall and the rear wall are longer than the end walls.

17. A crate comprising:
a base;
a pair of end walls pivotably connected to the base and configured to pivot relative to the base between an upright position extending upward from the base and a collapsed position on the base, handle openings formed through the pair of end walls;
a rear wall pivotably connected to the base and configured to pivot relative to the base between an upright position extending upward from the base and a collapsed position on the base;
a front wall including a frame having a large opening therethrough providing access to an interior of the crate, the frame pivotably connected to the base, a first panel pivotably connected by a first pair of arms to the frame, a second panel pivotably connected to the crate by a second pair of arms, the first panel selectively secured to the frame portion by first latches, the front wall reconfigurable between a retracted position and a closed position, the first panel and the second panel extending across the large opening of the frame when the front wall is in the closed position, wherein in the retracted position the first panel and the second panel are oriented vertically adjacent a bottom portion of the frame; and
second latches selectively connecting the frame to the pair of end walls.

18. The crate of claim 17 wherein the second panel includes an outer surface that faces outward of the crate when the first wall is in the closed position and when the first wall is in the retracted position.

19. The crate of claim 18 wherein the base includes a pair of end flanges projecting upward from end edges of the base, the end walls pivotably connected to upper ends of the pair of end flanges.

20. The crate of claim 19 wherein the front wall and the rear wall are longer than the end walls.

21. A crate comprising:
a base;
a rear wall pivotably connected to the base and configured to pivot relative to the base between an upright position extending upward from the base and a collapsed position;
a front wall including a frame, a first horizontal portion, and a second horizontal portion, wherein the frame is pivotably connected to the base and configured to pivot relative to the base between an upright position extending upward from the base and a collapsed position, a first pair of arms hingeably connecting the first horizontal portion to the frame via first hinges, wherein the second horizontal portion is connected via second hinges to the first pair of arms between the first horizontal portion and the first hinges, wherein the first horizontal portion and the second horizontal portion are movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position; and
a pair of end walls pivotably connected to the base and configured to pivot relative to the base between an upright position extending upward from the base and a collapsed position on the front wall and the rear wall, a handle opening formed through each of the end walls.

22. The crate of claim 21 wherein the second horizontal portion includes an outer surface that faces outward of the crate when the second horizontal portion is in the closed position and when the second horizontal portion is in the retracted position.

23. The crate of claim 22 wherein the base includes a pair of end flanges projecting upward from end edges of the base

Assignees

• Rehrig Pacific Co

Inventors

• Cavalcante Mauricio D
• Zelek John Bobel
• Apps William P
• Meers Ryan C

Classifications

• B65D88/10

  parallelepipedic (B65D88/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D25/005 Primary

  Side walls formed with an aperture or a movable portion arranged to allow removal or insertion of contents (B65D5/16, B65D7/40 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65D25/30

  Hand holes · CPC title

• B65D11/1833

  whereby all side walls are hingedly connected to the base panel (B65D11/186 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D88/52 Primary

  collapsible, i.e. with walls hinged together or detachably connected · CPC title