초록 ▼

A collapsible and reusable drum having an outer sleeve, an injection molded bottom end cap, an injection molded top end cap, an input port positioned on the top end cap, and an output port positioned near the outer sleeve's lower portion. The drum may also include an inner sleeve positioned within t

A collapsible and reusable drum having an outer sleeve, an injection molded bottom end cap, an injection molded top end cap, an input port positioned on the top end cap, and an output port positioned near the outer sleeve's lower portion. The drum may also include an inner sleeve positioned within the outer sleeve. The drum may also include at least one strap for securing the bottom and top end caps to the inner and outer sleeves. The at least one strap secures the end caps to the sleeves via strap retaining loops located on the top and bottom end caps and recessed channels traveling from one strap retaining loop located at one end of an end cap to another strap retaining loop located at the opposite end of the end cap. Moreover, the at least one strap is internalized between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A collapsible container comprising: an outer sleeve including a first end, a second end opposed to the first end and a plurality of panels extending between the first and second ends, the panels being foldably connected to each other;an inner sleeve positioned inside the outer sleeve, the inner s

1. A collapsible container comprising: an outer sleeve including a first end, a second end opposed to the first end and a plurality of panels extending between the first and second ends, the panels being foldably connected to each other;an inner sleeve positioned inside the outer sleeve, the inner sleeve including a first end, a second end opposed to the first end and a plurality of panels extending between the first and second ends, the panels being foldably connected to each other;a top end cap positioned adjacent the first ends of the outer and inner sleeves, the top end cap including an inner surface facing the first ends of the outer and inner sleeves, an outer surface facing away from the first ends, a thickness defined by the inner and outer surfaces of the top end cap and at least two top strap retaining loops each extending through the thickness of the top end cap, the top end cap further including an input port;a bottom end cap positioned adjacent the second ends of the outer and inner sleeves, the bottom end cap including an inner surface facing the second ends of the outer and inner sleeves, an outer surface facing away from the second ends, a thickness defined by the inner and outer surfaces of the bottom end cap and at least two bottom strap retaining loops each extending through the thickness of the bottom end cap;at least one recessed channel defined in the outer surface of the top or bottom end cap and extending between the two strap retaining loops in the corresponding end cap; andat least one strap adapted to extend through the strap retaining loops and along the recessed channel to secure the top end cap to the first ends of the outer and inner sleeves and the bottom end cap to the second ends of the outer and inner sleeves. 2. The collapsible container of claim 1, further comprising an outer output port defined in a lower portion of the outer sleeve, and an inner output port defined in a lower portion of the inner sleeve, the inner and outer output ports being aligned with each other. 3. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein the outer and inner sleeves are each designed to be collapsible to a 4:1 ratio. 4. The collapsible container of claim 1, further comprising at least a recessed channel defined in the outer surface of the other end cap and extending between the two strap retaining loops in the corresponding end cap for receiving the strap. 5. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein each end cap further includes an outer edge and a side wall positioned away from the outer edge, the side wall being substantially perpendicular to and extending a predetermined distance away from the inner surface of the each end cap, the inner surface of the each end cap being substantially planar. 6. The collapsible container of claim 5, wherein each end cap further includes a lip formed on a periphery of the each end cap outside the corresponding side wall. 7. The collapsible container of claim 6, wherein an outer surface of each side wall engages an inner surface of the inner sleeve adjacent the corresponding end of the inner sleeve, the strap retaining loops being formed in the lip of the corresponding end cap adjacent the each side wall. 8. The collapsible container of claim 4, wherein a plurality of recessed channels for receiving a plurality of straps are defined in the outer surface of each end cap, the plurality of recessed channels each extending from a strap retaining loop to a corresponding strap retaining loop positioned at an opposite end of the corresponding end cap. 9. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein the strap is extended through a space between the outer and inner sleeves. 10. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the bottom end cap includes at least one built-in dolly slot for a dolly to be inserted to the slot for transportation of the container. 11. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein the recessed channel has a depth of ¼ inch. 12. The collapsible container of claim 1, further including an inner bladder for containing materials to be shipped. 13. The collapsible container of claim 12, wherein the inner bladder is attached to the top end cap by a twist-to-lock connection between first and second twist-to-lock connection members. 14. The collapsible container of claim 13, wherein the top end cap includes the first twist-to-lock connection member and the inner bladder includes the second twist-to-lock connection member, wherein the first twist-to-lock connection member is a female twist-to-lock bag hanger and the second twist-to-lock connection member is a male twist-to-lock bag hanger. 15. The collapsible container of claim 12, wherein the inner bladder is sized to pass through the input port into an interior space of the inner sleeve such that the inner bladder is put in and taken out of the container without removing the top end cap from the container. 16. The collapsible container of claim 12, wherein the inner bladder includes a fill port having a cap, the input port of the top end cap being recessed into the outer surface of the top end cap such that a top surface of the cap of the fill port is leveled with or positioned lower than the outer surface of the top end cap. 17. The collapsible container of claim 12, further comprising at least a heat exchanger pad positioned inside the inner sleeve between the inner sleeve and the inner bladder. 18. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein each of the outer and inner sleeves is foldable after the strap is cut and the top and bottom end caps are removed from the first ends and second ends of the outer and inner sleeves, respectively. 19. A method for making a collapsible container, comprising: assembling an outer sleeve that includes a first end, a second end opposed to the first end, a plurality of panels extending between the first and second ends thereof and an outer output port, the panels of the outer sleeve being foldably connected to each other;assembling an inner sleeve that includes a first end, a second end opposed to the first end and a plurality of panels extending between the first and second ends thereof an inner output port, the panels of the inner sleeve being foldably connected to each other;placing the inner sleeve in an interior space of the outer sleeve such that the first and second ends of the inner sleeve are adjacent to the first and second ends of the outer sleeve, respectively, and the inner output port is aligned with the outer output port;placing a top end cap adjacent the first ends of the outer and inner sleeves, the top end cap including at least two top strap retaining loops extending through a thickness of the top end cap, at least one top recessed channel defined in an outer surface of the top end cap and extending between the two top strap retaining loops, and an input port;placing a bottom end cap adjacent to the second ends of the outer and inner sleeves, the bottom end cap including at least two bottom strap retaining loops extending through a thickness of the bottom end cap, at least one bottom recessed channel defined in an outer surface of the bottom end cap and extending between the two bottom strap retaining loops; andplacing at least one strap through the strap retaining loops and along the recessed channels to secure the top and bottom end caps to the first and second ends of the outer and inner sleeves, respectively. 20. The method for making a collapsible container of claim 19, wherein assembling an outer sleeve and assembling an inner sleeve each comprising: providing a first sheet having a first end panel, a second end panel and at least one middle panel;providing a second sheet having a first end panel, a second end panel and at least one middle panel;placing and heat welding the first end panel of the first sheet and the second end panel of the second sheet together, placing and heat welding the second end panel of the first sheet and the first end panel of the second sheet together, and obtaining the respective sleeve including panels extending between the first and second ends of the respective sleeve, wherein two of the panels of the respective sleeve each has double wall thickness. 21. The method for making a collapsible container of claim 20, wherein placing the inner sleeve in an interior space of the outer sleeve is performed in such a way that the two panels that have double wall thickness of the inner sleeve are each 90° apart from each of the two panels that have double wall thickness of the outer sleeve. 22. The method for making a collapsible container of claim 19, further comprising extending an inner bladder through the input port of the top end cap into an interior space of the inner sleeve and securing the inner bladder to an inner surface of the top end cap by a twist-to-lock connection.