초록 ▼

A container for transporting articles and displaying articles includes a set of joined walls capable of forming an enclosed configuration where an interior volume is enclosed by the joined walls with each of the joined walls in their respective closed positions. The container is convertible to a dis

A container for transporting articles and displaying articles includes a set of joined walls capable of forming an enclosed configuration where an interior volume is enclosed by the joined walls with each of the joined walls in their respective closed positions. The container is convertible to a display configuration where access to the interior volume is provided. The set of joined walls includes a bottom, a top moveable relative to the bottom and sides moveable relative to the bottom. In converting from the enclosed configuration to the display configuration, the top moves relative to the bottom to provide a first access opening to the interior volume and at least one side moves relative to the bottom to provide a second access opening to the interior volume. The second access opening extends from the bottom to the first access opening, and at least one other side remains in its closed position to form a first edge of the second access opening.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A container for transporting articles and displaying articles, the container comprising: a set of joined walls formed of a rigid, plastic material and configured to form a rectangular box-shaped enclosed configuration where an interior volume is enclosed by the joined walls w

What is claimed is: 1. A container for transporting articles and displaying articles, the container comprising: a set of joined walls formed of a rigid, plastic material and configured to form a rectangular box-shaped enclosed configuration where an interior volume is enclosed by the joined walls with each of the joined walls in their respective closed positions and the container is convertible to a display configuration where access to the interior volume is provided, the set of joined walls including a bottom; a top configured to move relative to the bottom; and sides configured to move relative to the bottom; where in converting from the enclosed configuration to the display configuration the top is configured to move relative to the bottom to provide a first access opening to the interior volume, at least one side is configured to move relative to the bottom while remaining connected to the top to provide a second access opening to the interior volume extending from the bottom to the first access opening, and at least one other side remains in its closed position to form a first edge of the second access opening; wherein the sides include a front, a back opposite the front and first and second ends extending between the front and the back; hinges that connect the set of joined walls, the front being joined to the top by a hinge, the top being joined to the back by a hinge and the first and second ends being joined to the bottom by a respective hinge; wherein the top, the front, the back, the first end and the second end are configured to move relative to the bottom to form a collapsed configuration where the top, the front, the back, the first end and the second end are folded over the bottom to form a layered stack of walls. 2. The container of claim 1, wherein the front moves relative to the bottom to provide the second access opening, the first and second ends remaining in their respective closed position such that the second end forms the first edge of the second access opening and a first top edge of the first access opening with the container in the display configuration and the first end forms a second edge of the second access opening and a second top edge of the first access opening with the container in the display configuration. 3. The container of claim 1, wherein the first and second ends are releasably secured to the back with the container in the display configuration. 4. The container of claim 1, wherein the front, top and back are connected to form a bi-folding member that is moveable relative to the bottom to form the first and second access openings. 5. The container of claim 1, wherein the hinges form a respective pivot axis that is substantially parallel to the bottom. 6. The container of claim 1, wherein the front comprises a transparent material such that the interior volume is viewable to a user from outside the container with the container in the enclosed configuration. 7. The container of claim 6, wherein the transparent material comprises polycarbonate. 8. The container of claim 1 further comprising a lock configured to lock the front to the bottom with the container in the enclosed configuration. 9. The container of claim 1, wherein one or more of the sides are black in color. 10. The container of claim 1 further including user graspable structure located at one or more of the sides. 11. The container of claim 1, wherein the second access opening extends uninterrupted from the bottom to the first access opening without any obstruction inhibiting access to the interior volume through the second access opening with the container in the display configuration. 12. The container of claim 11, wherein the first access opening extends uninterrupted from a side opposite the second access opening to the second access opening without any obstruction inhibiting access to the interior volume through the first access opening with the container in the display configuration. 13. A container for transporting articles and displaying articles, the container comprising: a set of joined wails joined by five or more joints wherein the set of joined walls includes a bottom wall; wherein others of the set of joined wails are moveable relative to the bottom wall to form a rectangular box-shaped enclosed configuration wherein an interior volume is enclosed and a display configuration wherein first and second access openings are provided to the interior volume, the interior volume being partially bounded by two or more of the joined walls in the display configuration; wherein the set of joined walls includes a first side wall joined to a top wall by a first joint of the five or more joints; a second side wall joined to the top wall by a second joint of the five or more joints, the second wall being joined to the bottom wall by a third joint of the five or more joints; a third side wall joined to the bottom wall by a fourth joint of the five or more joints; and a fourth side wall joined to the bottom wall by a fifth joint of the five or more joints; wherein the first side wall moves relative to the bottom wall to provide the second access opening and the top wall moves relative to the bottom wall to provide the first access opening; wherein the second access opening extends uninterrupted from the bottom wall to the first access opening without any obstruction inhibiting access to the interior volume through the second access opening with the container in the display configuration. 14. The container of claim 13, wherein the first access opening extends uninterrupted from the second side wall to the second access opening without any obstruction inhibiting access to the interior volume through the first access opening with the container in the display configuration. 15. The container of claim 13, wherein at least one of the five or more joints provides a pivot axis that is substantially parallel to the bottom wall. 16. The container of claim 13 comprising six joints joining the set of joined walls. 17. The container of claim 13, wherein the set of joined walls includes a bi-folding member. 18. The container of claim 16 including only six joints, wherein the sixth joint divides the top wall into first and second top wall sections such that the first top wall section pivots relative to the second top wall section while remaining joined thereto, the first top wall section being joined to the first side wall by the first joint, the second top wall section being joined to the second side wall by the second joint, the top wall having a length that is greater than a height of the side walls. 19. A method of enclosing articles for storage within a container and displaying articles within the container, the method comprising: providing a container including a set of joined walls in a rectangular box-shaped enclosed configuration where an interior volume is enclosed by the joined walls with each of the joined walls in their respective closed positions, the container capable of converting to a display configuration where access to the volume is provided, the set of joined walls including a bottom, a top configured to move relative to the bottom and sides configured to move relative to the bottom; placing the container in the display configuration by providing a first access opening to the interior volume enclosed by the container by moving the top relative to the bottom and providing a second access opening to the interior volume by moving a first side relative to the bottom wall, the second access opening extending from the bottom to the top access opening, wherein at least one other side remains in its closed position to form an edge of the second access opening; and placing the container in a collapsed configuration by folding the sides and the top on the bottom with the set of walls joined forming a layered stack of walls; wherein the top and the first side are pivotally joined such that the first side is configured to move relative to the top while remaining joined thereto, the top is pivotally joined to a second side such that the top is configured to move relative to the second side while remaining joined thereto and the second side is pivotally joined to the bottom such that the second side is configured to move relative to the bottom while remaining joined thereto; wherein the second access opening extends uninterrupted from the bottom to the top access opening without any obstruction inhibiting access to the interior volume through the second access opening with the container in the display configuration; wherein the first access opening extends uninterrupted from a second side opposite the second access opening to the second access opening without any obstruction inhibiting access to the interior volume through the first access opening with the container in the display configuration.