IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0728828
(2000-11-22)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Pro-Mart Industries, Inc.
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Stetina Brunda Garred & Brucker
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
40 인용 특허 :
31 |
초록
▼
A collapsible container is used to carry items. The container has a plurality of flexible frames contained in pockets with material connecting the pockets to define panels when the frames are in an expanded configuration. The frames are adapted to twist and fold into overlapping loops to define a sm
A collapsible container is used to carry items. The container has a plurality of flexible frames contained in pockets with material connecting the pockets to define panels when the frames are in an expanded configuration. The frames are adapted to twist and fold into overlapping loops to define a smaller, collapsed configuration. The pockets on the top sides of the panels have openings, with the frames extending across the openings. The openings are sized to allow a person's hand to enter the opening and grip the frame to lift the container during use of the container to carry things. Alternatively, the openings are sized smaller than the width of a flexible strap that encircles the frame in the opening so a person can lift the container with the strap.
대표청구항
▼
A collapsible container is used to carry items. The container has a plurality of flexible frames contained in pockets with material connecting the pockets to define panels when the frames are in an expanded configuration. The frames are adapted to twist and fold into overlapping loops to define a sm
A collapsible container is used to carry items. The container has a plurality of flexible frames contained in pockets with material connecting the pockets to define panels when the frames are in an expanded configuration. The frames are adapted to twist and fold into overlapping loops to define a smaller, collapsed configuration. The pockets on the top sides of the panels have openings, with the frames extending across the openings. The openings are sized to allow a person's hand to enter the opening and grip the frame to lift the container during use of the container to carry things. Alternatively, the openings are sized smaller than the width of a flexible strap that encircles the frame in the opening so a person can lift the container with the strap. he container of claim 7 additionally including slot-like holes formed through the bottom wall that substantially align with at least selected ones of the vertically extending grooves so as to reside within said plane for receiving depending projections that are provided on a bottom portion of the removable divider. 9. The container of claim 6 wherein the vertically extending grooves open through the top surfaces of the left and right side walls. 10. The container of claim 6 additionally including means for being installed atop the front and rear walls of the container and atop the left and right side walls of the container for extending the height of the front and rear walls and the left and right side walls of the container, and for providing vertically extending extensions of the vertically extending grooves in the left and right side walls, and wherein the removable divider is configured to engage the vertically extending extensions of the vertically extending grooves. 11. The container of claim 1 wherein the left and right side walls and the rear wall 1) extend substantially vertically, 2) define top surfaces at upper ends thereof that extend in a substantially common horizontally extending plane, and 3) define bottom surfaces at lower ends thereof that extend in another substantially common horizontally extending plane, and wherein the container is stackable with other identically configured containers with one of the other identically configured containers having bottom surfaces thereof engaging atop the top surfaces of the container, and with another of the identically configured containers having top surfaces thereof engaging the bottom surfaces of the container. 12. The container of claim 11 additionally including means for enabling the container to securely connect with the one of the identically configured containers and with the another of the identically configured containers when the one of the identically configured containers has the bottom surfaces thereof engaging the top surfaces of the container, and when the another of the identically configured containers has the top surfaces thereof engaging the bottom surfaces of the container. 13. The container of claim 12 wherein the front and rear walls, the left and right side walls, the bottom wall and the means are formed as a unitary structure molded from plastics material. 14. The container of claim 12 wherein the means includes a plurality of upwardly extending projections supported by selected ones of the left and right side walls and the rear wall, and includes a plurality of downwardly opening cavities supported by the selected ones of the left and right side walls and the rear wall. 15. The container of claim 1 additionally including means for being defined near front end regions of the left and right side walls for removably connecting with means for extending forwardly from near the front end regions of the left and right side walls for supporting opposite end regions of a pivotal door, and a pivotal door having opposite end regions that are pivotally connectable with the means for extending forwardly from the left and right side walls, with the pivotal door being pivotally movable between a position overlying a relatively large portion of the front opening to a position overlying a lesser portion of the front opening. 16. The container of claim 15 wherein the pivotal door includes means for supporting a sign. 17. The container of claim 16 wherein the pivotal door has a transparent portion, and the means for supporting a sign is configured to support said sign at a location behind the transparent portion for being viewed through the transparent portion. 18. The container of claim 15 wherein the means for extending forwardly from near the front end regions of the left and right side walls included extender members that are pivotally connected to opposite end regions of the pivotal door in a manner that permits the door to pivot about a substantially horizo ntally extending axis that substantially parallels the front wall at a location near upper regions of the front wall. 19. The container of claim 18 wherein the extender members include a left extender configured to connect with and extend forwardly from near the left side wall, and a right extender configured to connect with and extend forwardly from near the right side wall. 20. The container of claim 19 wherein the container is formed as a unitary structure molded from plastics material, the door is formed as a unitary structure molded from plastics material, and the left and right extenders each are molded from plastics material. 21. The container of claim 18 wherein the pivotal door has a vertically extending length that permits the door to depend from said axis to a position wherein the door overlies a majority of but not all of the front opening. 22. The container of claim 18 wherein the pivotal door has a vertically extending length that permits the door to depend from said axis to a position beneath the front wall of the container wherein the door overlies substantially all of the front opening of the container and a portion of a front opening of an identical container positioned directly beneath the container in a manner such that the front wall of the identical container aligns with the front wall of the container, and the front opening of the identical container is located directly beneath the front opening of the container. 23. A stackable one-piece container for defining a front-accessible bin for displaying tubular articles therein, comprising: a) left and right upstanding, generally rectangular side walls that are 1) joined at rear end regions thereof by a transversely extending, upstanding, generally rectangular rear wall, and 2) joined at front end regions thereof by a transversely extending, upstanding, generally rectangular front wall; b) a bottom wall extending between the front and rear walls so as to define an inner surface that joins substantially at right angles with inner surfaces of the front and rear walls, and extends between inner surfaces of the upstanding left and right walls in a concave manner so as to cooperate with the inner surfaces of the left and right side walls to define a bin of U-shaped cross-section that is substantially symmetrical about an imaginary plane that parallels the upstanding left and right side walls at a location mid-way therebetween, wherein the U-shaped cross-section is substantially uniform from the back of the bin to the front of the bin, has its greatest depth where the imaginary plane joins with the front and rear walls, and has its shallowest depth where the inner surface joins with the inner surfaces of the left and right side walls; c) with means being defined in upper and lower regions of the left and right side walls of said container for mating with a lower container and an upper container that are configured identically to said container to make it possible for said container to be stacked and supported atop the lower container, with the upper container being stacked and supported atop said container; d) a substantially U-shaped opening defined by the front wall for providing access to said bin in a zone that extends vertically from near the bottom wall to near the upper regions of the side walls, and horizontally from near the left side wall to near the right side wall; and, e) with upstanding rib formations underlying, connecting with, strengthening and rigidifying the bottom wall at locations between the lower regions of the left and right side walls. 24. In combination, the container of claim 23 and a left extender configured to be attached to the upper regions of the left side wall, a right extender configured to be attached to the upper regions of the right side wall, and a door configured to overlie at least a portion of the U-shaped opening of the front wall, wherein the left and right extenders are adapted to pivotally connect with opposite
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