Collapsible crate with retractable wall

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12330840-B2
Application number	US-202016781511-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2020
Priority date	Feb 4, 2019
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

The collapsible container includes a base and a pair of opposed first walls pivotably connected to opposed first edges of the base. A second wall or front wall is pivotably connected to a second edge of the base such that the second wall is perpendicular to the first walls. The front wall includes a frame including a pair of elongated vertical upstanding members each including a recess opening outward of the container. The front wall further includes a door pivotably connected to the upstanding members. The door includes an upper panel portion having a pair of wing portions projecting away from one another and receivable in the recesses in the upstanding members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible container comprising:
a base;
a pair of opposed first walls pivotably connected to opposed first edges of the base; and
a second wall pivotably connected to a second edge of the base, wherein the second wall is perpendicular to the first walls, wherein the second wall includes a frame including a pair of elongated vertical upstanding members each including a recess opening outward of the container in opposite directions of one another, the second wall further including a door pivotably connected to the upstanding members, the door including an upper panel portion having a pair of wing portions projecting away from one another and receivable in the outer recesses in the upstanding members.

2. The collapsible container of claim 1 wherein the door includes a pair of arms extending downward from the upper panel portion and pivotably secured to the upstanding members.

3. The collapsible container of claim 1 further including a pair of latches biased away from each other, wherein the pair of latches are mounted to the door and releasably secured to the upstanding members and releasable from the upstanding members upon movement of the latches toward one another.

4. The collapsible container of claim 3 wherein each of the latches includes at least one resilient leg biasing an interlocking portion toward one of the upstanding members.

5. The collapsible container of claim 4 wherein each of the latches includes at least one handle accessible by a user to slide the latch away from the respective upstanding member.

6. The collapsible container of claim 4 wherein each of the latches includes an inner handle portion and an outer handle portion, both of which are accessible by a user to slide the latch away from the respective upstanding member and thereby unlatch the door.

7. The collapsible container of claim 3 wherein each wing portion includes a center recess into which an interlocking portion of the respective latch is biased when the respective latch is in a latched position.

8. The collapsible container of claim 7 wherein each of the upstanding members includes a projection projecting into the respective outer recess, wherein each projection includes an interlocking recess opening toward the respective latch and receiving the interlocking portion of the respective latch when the latch is in the latched position, wherein the center recess in each wing portion receives the respective projection of the respective upstanding member when the door is in a closed position.

9. The collapsible container of claim 8 wherein the pair of latches is a pair of door latches, each of the upstanding members further including a first recess facing one of the first walls and receiving an interlocking portion of a first latch therein when the first latch is latched.

10. The collapsible container of claim 3 wherein each of the latches includes at least one handle accessible by a user to slide the latch away from the respective upstanding member and wherein each of the at least one handle is accessible from an interior side of the door and from an exterior side of the door.

11. A collapsible container comprising:
a base;
a pair of opposed first walls pivotably connected to opposed first edges of the base;
a second wall pivotably connected to a second edge of the base, wherein the second wall is perpendicular to the first walls, wherein the second wall includes a frame including a pair of elongated vertical upstanding members, the second wall further including a door pivotably connected to the upstanding members, the door including an upper panel portion; and
a latch mounted in the upper panel portion of the door, the latch including at least one resilient leg biasing the latch toward one of the upstanding members to a latched position in which the door is latched to the one of the upstanding members, wherein the latch includes an inner handle portion and an outer handle portion, both of which are accessible by a user to slide the latch away from the one of the upstanding members and thereby unlatch the door.

12. The collapsible container of claim 11 wherein the door includes a pair of arms extending downward from the upper panel portion and pivotably secured to the upstanding members.

13. The collapsible container of claim 11 wherein the latch is one of a pair of latches biased away from each other, wherein the pair of latches are releasable from the upstanding members upon movement of the latches toward one another.

14. The collapsible container of claim 11 wherein the door includes a pair of wing portions projecting outward away from one another in the plane of the door, wherein the pair of wing portions includes a first wing portion having a center recess into which an interlocking portion of the latch is biased when the latch is in a latched position, wherein the first wing portion includes an outer wall defining an outer edge of the center recess and wherein the interlocking portion of the latch is biased toward the outer wall.

15. The collapsible container of claim 14 wherein the one of the upstanding members includes a projection having a recess opening toward the latch and receiving the interlocking portion of the respective latch when the latch is in the latched position, wherein the center recess in each wing portion receives the projection of the one of the upstanding members when the door is in a closed position.

16. The collapsible container of claim 15 wherein the latch is a door latch, each of the upstanding members further including a recess facing one of the first walls and receiving an interlocking portion of a first latch therein when the first latch is latched.

17. The collapsible container of claim 1 wherein each of the first walls is in a first plane perpendicular to the base and perpendicular to the second wall, wherein each of the first planes contains one of the first edges of the base, wherein each of the wing portions extends outwardly into a nearer one of the first planes.

18. The collapsible container of claim 1 wherein each of the first walls is in a first plane perpendicular to the base and perpendicular to the second wall, wherein each of the first planes contains one of the first edges of the base, wherein each of the upstanding members is in a nearer one of the first planes.

19. The collapsible container of claim 1 wherein the door can be pivoted away from the upstanding members while an identical container is stacked on the pair of first walls and the second wall.

20. The collapsible container of claim 2 , wherein the wing portions project outward relative to the pair of arms.

21. A collapsible container comprising:
a base;
a pair of opposed first walls pivotably connected to opposed first edges of the base and movable between an upright position and a collapsed position, wherein each of the first walls is in a first plane perpendicular to the base when in the upright position, wherein each of the first planes contains one of the first edges of the base, wherein each of the first walls includes a latch having an interlocking portion, wherein each latch is movable in one of the first planes between a latched and unlatched position;
a second wall pivotably connected to a second edge of the base and movable between an upright position and a collapsed position, wherein the second wall is perpendicular to the first walls when the second wall and the first walls are in the upright position, wherein the second wall includes a frame including a pair of el

Assignees

• Rehrig Pacific Co

Inventors

• Sekowski Daniel Vincent
• Englert Travis James
• Hassell Jon P
• Apps William P

Classifications

• B65D11/184

  and one or more side walls being foldable along a median line · CPC title

• B65D11/1833 Primary

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

• B65D85/32

  for eggs · CPC title

• B65D21/0209

  stackable or joined together one-upon-the-other in the upright or upside-down position (B65D21/0234, B65D21/0235 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65D25/005

  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