IPC분류정보
| 국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
| 국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
| 출원번호 |
US-0269546
(2002-10-11)
|
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Apps,William P.
- Aiken,Cynthia R.
|
| 출원인 / 주소 |
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| 인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
29 인용 특허 :
37 |
초록
▼
A portable storage device includes the plurality of collapsible walls, each pair of adjacent walls connected by a latch. Each latch can be selectively actuated from both the inside and the outside of the container. Preferably, the latch includes a recess into which the adjacent wall is disposed when
A portable storage device includes the plurality of collapsible walls, each pair of adjacent walls connected by a latch. Each latch can be selectively actuated from both the inside and the outside of the container. Preferably, the latch includes a recess into which the adjacent wall is disposed when the latch is in the latched position. Preferably, the latch is unlatched by flexing the latch away from the adjacent wall by application of force on an inner release surface, inward of the recess or by application of force on an outer release surface, outward of the recess.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A container comprising: a base wall; a first wall generally perpendicular to the base wall; a second wall generally perpendicular to the base wall and the first wall; and a latch integrally molded with the first wall for selectively connecting the first wall to the second wal
What is claimed is: 1. A container comprising: a base wall; a first wall generally perpendicular to the base wall; a second wall generally perpendicular to the base wall and the first wall; and a latch integrally molded with the first wall for selectively connecting the first wall to the second wall, wherein the latch flexes relative to the first wall upon the pivoting of the second wall to an upright position in order to connect the first wall to the second wall, the latch including an outer release surface outward of the second wall, the latch including an inner release surface inward of the second wall and inward of an outer surface of the first wall, the latch configured to flex relative to the first wall to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon an application of force to the outer release surface and the latch configured to flex relative to the first wall to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon an application of force to the inner release surface. 2. The crate of claim 1 wherein the latch includes a recess into which a portion of the second wall is received when the latch is connected to the second wall. 3. The crate of claim 2 wherein the latch is tapered away from the recess. 4. The crate of claim 2 wherein the latch is flexible away from the second wall in order to disconnect the second wall from the latch. 5. The crate of claim 4 wherein the outer release surface is positioned outward of the recess and the inner release surface is positioned inward of the recess. 6. The crate of claim 5 wherein the second wall includes a portion of reduced thickness received within the recess. 7. The collapsible container of claim 1 wherein the inner release surface is more inward of the container than an innermost surface of the first wall. 8. The container of claim 1 further including a first interlocking member on the first wall interlocking with a second interlocking member on the second wall, the first and second interlocking members preventing pivoting movement of the first wall away from the second wall. 9. A container comprising: a base wall; a first wall generally perpendicular to the base wall; a second wall generally perpendicular to the base wall and the first wall; and a latch integrally molded with the first wall for selectively connecting the first wall to the second wall, the latch including a recess into which a portion of the second wall is received when the latch is connected to the second wall, the latch being flexible away from the second wall in order to disconnect the second wall from the latch, the latch including an outer release surface outward of the second wall and outward of the recess, the latch including an inner release surface inward of the second wall, inward of the recess and inward of an outer surface of the first wall, the latch configured to flex relative to the first wall to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon an application of force to the outer release surface and the larch configured to flex relative to the first wall to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon an application of force to the inner release surface, wherein the second wall includes a portion of reduced thickness received within the recess, and the second wall includes a recess on an outer surface of the second wall at the portion of reduced thickness, the outer release surface accessible within the recess on the outer surface of the second wall. 10. The crate of claim 9 wherein the first and second walls are connected by hinges to the base wall and selectively movable between a collapsed position generally parallel to the base wall and a use position generally perpendicular to the base wall. 11. The crate of claim 10 wherein the first and second walls include interlocking tabs. 12. A container comprising: a base wall; a first wall generally perpendicular to the base wall; a second wall generally perpendicular to the base wall and the first wall; and a latch integrally molded with the first wall far selectively connecting the first wall to the second wall, the latch including an outer release surface outward of the second wall and an inner release surface inward of the second wall, the latch configured to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon an application of force to the outer release surface and the latch configured to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon an application of force to the inner release surface, and wherein one of the first wall and second wall includes a post positioned outwardly of latch for preventing excessive outward deflection of the latch. 13. A collapsible crate comprising: a base wall; a first wall movable about a first hinge between a collapsed position generally parallel to the base wall and a use position generally perpendicular to the base wall; a second wall movable about a second hinge between a collapsed position generally parallel to the base wall and a use position generally perpendicular to the base wall; and a latch integrally molded with the first wall for selectively connecting the first wall to the second wall while the first and second walls are in the use position, wherein the latch includes a outer release surface outward of the second wall and an inner release surface inward of the second wall, the latch configured to be selectively disconnected from the second wall upon the application of force from the inside of the container to the inner release surface and configured to be selectively disconnected from the second wall upon the application of force from the outside of the container to the outer release surface, wherein the latch is latched based upon the movement of one of the first wall and the second wall from the collapsed position to the use position, thereby causing the latch to flex relative to the first wall which then moves into a latched position thereby connecting the first wall to the second wall. 14. The collapsible crate of claim 13 wherein the latch includes a recess into which a portion of the second wall fits when the latch is connected to the second wall. 15. The collapsible crate of claim 14 wherein the outer release surface is positioned outward of the recess and the inner release surface is positioned inward of the recess. 16. A collapsible crate orientable between a collapsed position and an assembled position comprising: a base; a first pair of opposed side walls pivotably connected to the base and each having a latch member with an inner release surface and an outer release surface; a second side wall pivotably connected to the base, wherein when in the assembled position, the first pair of opposed side walls are attached to the second side wall by the latch members receiving a portion of the second side wall therein, wherein to return the crate from the assembled position to the collapsed position the latch members are configured to be selectively unlatched by application of forces in directions away from one another to the inner release surfaces disposed inward of the second wall and to the outer release surfaces disposed outward of the second wall. 17. The collapsible crate of claim 16 wherein each of the first side walls includes at least two of the latch members. 18. The collapsible crate of claim 16 wherein the latch members are configured to be selectively actuated upon an application of an outward force to the inner release surface and upon an application of an outward force to the outer release surface. 19. The collapsible crate of claim 16 further including a post positioned outwardly of each latch for preventing excessive outward deflection of the latch. 20. A container comprising: a base wall; a first wall generally perpendicular to the base wall; a second wall generally perpendicular to the base wall and the first wall; and a latch integrally molded with the first wall for selectively connecting the first wall to the second wall, the latch including an outer release surface outward of the second wall, the latch including an inner release surface inward of the second wall and inward of an outer surface of the first wall, the latch configured to flex relative to the first wall to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon the application of force in a direction outward of the interior of the container to the inner release surface and the latch configured to flex relative to the first wall to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon the application of force in a direction outward of the interior of the container to the outer release surface. 21. The collapsible container of claim 20 wherein the latch flexes relative to the first wall upon the pivoting of the second wall to an upright position in order to connect the first wall to the second wall. 22. A container comprising: a base wall; a first wall generally perpendicular to the base wall; a second wall generally perpendicular to the base wall and the first wall; a first interlocking member on the first wall interlocking with a second interlocking member on the second wall the first and second interlocking members preventing pivoting movement of the first wall away front the second wall; and a latch integrally molded with the first wall for selectively connecting the first wall to the second wall, wherein the first and second interlocking members are a distance from the base different from that of the latch, the latch including an outer release surface outward of the second wall, the latch including an inner release surface inward of the second wall and inward of an outer surface of the first wall, the latch configured to flex relative to the first wall to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon an application of force to the outer release surface and the latch configured to flex relative to the first wall to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon an application of force to the inner release surface.
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