Foldable crate and locking mechanisms therefor
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65D-021/08
B65D-006/26
B65D-006/18
B65D-006/16
출원번호
US-0621196
(2015-02-12)
등록번호
US-9422087
(2016-08-23)
발명자
/ 주소
Poran, Iftah
Poran, Yehuda
출원인 / 주소
PLASGAD PLASTIC PRODUCTS ACS LTD
대리인 / 주소
Torche, Mark David
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
0
초록▼
A foldable crate includes a base platform, a pair of longitudinal sidewalls forming a hinged connection with the base platform and a pair of flanking sidewalls forming a hinged connection with the base platform. The flanking sidewalls accommodate a pair of rotary locking elements, as well as unlocki
A foldable crate includes a base platform, a pair of longitudinal sidewalls forming a hinged connection with the base platform and a pair of flanking sidewalls forming a hinged connection with the base platform. The flanking sidewalls accommodate a pair of rotary locking elements, as well as unlocking element.
대표청구항▼
1. A foldable crate comprises: (a) a base platform, said base platform comprising: (1) a pair of longitudinal portions;(2) a pair of flanking portions;(3) at least one structural element, disposed adjacently to said longitudinal portions of said base platform;(4) at least one structural element, dis
1. A foldable crate comprises: (a) a base platform, said base platform comprising: (1) a pair of longitudinal portions;(2) a pair of flanking portions;(3) at least one structural element, disposed adjacently to said longitudinal portions of said base platform;(4) at least one structural element, disposed adjacently to said flanking portions of said base platform;(b) a pair of longitudinal sidewalk, each one of said longitudinal sidewalls comprising: (1) at least one structural element, configured to form a hinged connection with said at least one structural element disposed adjacently to said longitudinal portion of said base platform;(2) a tab, configured to serve as a gripping handle;(3) a pair of structured protrusions, extending inwardly from an inner surface of said longitudinal sidewall;(4) a U-shaped cut essentially surrounding said structured protrusions, thereby rendering said structured protrusions laterally displaceable, wherein upon exerting a force onto said structured protrusions, a biasing force is formed by a material at the basis of said U-shaped cut;(c) a pair of flanking sidewalls, each one of said flanking sidewalk comprising: (1) at least one structural element, configured to form a hinged connection with said at least one structural element disposed adjacently to said flanking portion of said base platform;(2) a tab, configured to serve as a gripping handle;(3) a structured centric recess, essentially surrounding said tab;(4) a pair of flanking struts, forming a pair of channels in side portions of said flanking sidewall;(5) a pair of side recesses, forming openings on interior side of said flanking sidewall, configured to sustain a passage of said structured protrusions on said longitudinal sidewall through said openings;(d) a pairs of rotary locking elements disposed on an exterior side of each one of said flanking sidewalls, each one of said locking elements comprising: (1) a pivot connectable to said flanking sidewall, upon which said locking element is rotatable;(2) a leaf-spring extending from a top face of said locking element upwardly, biasing said rotary locking element into a lower position;(3) a chamfered terminal front face, being inwardly slanted;(e) an unlocking element disposed in said structured centric recess in said flanking sidewall, essentially underneath said tab, said unlocking element comprising: (1) at least one structural element for operatively connecting to said flanking sidewall, configured to sustain vertical translation of said unlocking element;(2) a pair of terminal portions, wherein each one of said terminal portions is configured to confer a rotational torque to said rotary locking element upon forceful elevation of said unlocking element in an upward direction. 2. The crate as in claim 1, wherein said unlocking element comprises side ridges and wherein said side ridges of said unlocking element are inserted into grooves positioned along sides of said structured centric recess and slidable therein. 3. The crate as in claim 1, wherein said longitudinal sidewalk further comprise separation bumper elements, wherein upon elevation of said unlocking element in an upward direction, top faces of terminal portions of said rotary locking elements collide with said separation bumper elements, thereby forming a rotational torque onto said flanking sidewalls towards base platform, thus initiating folding of said crate. 4. The crate as in claim 3, wherein said separation bumper elements comprise an outwardly slanted bottom face, facing essentially inwardly and downwardly. 5. The crate; as in claim 1, further comprises a safety catch mechanism preventing inadvertent rotation of said rotary locking elements. 6. The crate as in claim 5, wherein said safety catch mechanism preventing inadvertent rotation of said rotary locking elements comprises: (a) an extended protrusion forming a part of said rotary locking element, wherein said extended protrusion is configured to assume at least two different conformations selected from the group consisting of: (1) an activated conformation wherein a terminal portion of said extended protrusion is displaced in an upward direction, towards said rotary locking element, upon a force exerted from underneath by a terminal top portion of said unlocking element;(2) a default conformation wherein said extended protrusion is not displaced in said upward direction;(b) a detent, said detent is configured to interact with said terminal portion of said extended protrusion in said default conformation, thereby preventing inadvertent rotation of said rotary locking element; said detent is further configured not to interact in said activated conformation, thereby sustaining rotation of said rotary locking element, upon a force exerted from underneath by said terminal top portion of said unlocking element. 7. A foldable crate comprises: (a) a base platform comprising: (1) a longitudinal portion, comprising at least one structural element, disposed adjacently to said longitudinal portion;(2) a flanking portion, comprising at least one structural element, disposed adjacently to said flanking portion;(b) at least one longitudinal sidewall comprising: (1) at least one structural element, configured to form a hinged connection with said at least one structural element disposed adjacently to said longitudinal portion of said base platform;(2) at least one structured protrusion, extending inwardly from an inner side of said longitudinal sidewall;(c) at least one flanking sidewalk comprising at least one structural element, configured to form a hinged connection with said at least one structural element disposed adjacently to said flanking portion of said base platform;(d) at least one rotary locking element disposed on an exterior side of said flanking side-wall, said rotary locking element comprising: (1) a pivot connectable to said flanking sidewalk upon which said locking element is rotatable;(2) a biasing means configured to spontaneously drive said rotary locking element into a lower position;(e) at least one unlocking element comprising: (1) at least one structural element operatively attachable to said flanking sidewall, configured to sustain vertical translation of said unlocking element;(2) a pair of terminal portions, wherein each one of said terminal portions is configured to confer a rotational torque to said rotary locking element upon forceful elevation of said unlocking element; wherein geometrical proportions of said unlocking element relative to said rotary locking element define a translational lever, wherein said terminal portion of said unlocking element exerts a force onto a centric portion of locking elements, whereby said terminal portion of said rotary locking element is translatable a greater distance than said terminal portion of unlocking element. 8. The crate as in claim 7, wherein said flanking sidewall further comprises a U-shaped cut essentially surrounding said structured protrusion, thereby rendering said structured protrusion laterally displaceable, wherein upon exerting a force onto said structured protrusion, a biasing force is formed by a material at the basis of said U-shaped cut. 9. The crate as in claim 7, wherein said flanking sidewall further comprises at least one side recess, forming an opening on an inner side of said flanking sidewall, configured to sustain a passage of said structured protrusion of said longitudinal sidewall through said opening. 10. The crate as in claim 7, wherein said longitudinal sidewalls further comprise separation bumper elements, wherein upon elevation of said unlocking element in an upward direction, top faces of terminal portions of said rotary locking element collide with said separation bumper elements, thereby forming a rotational torque onto said flanking sidewalls towards base platform, thus initiating folding of said crate. 11. The crate as in claim 10, wherein said separation bumper elements comprise an outwardly slanted bottom face, facing essentially inwardly and downwardly. 12. The crate, as in claim 8, further comprises a safety catch mechanism preventing inadvertent rotation of said rotary locking elements. 13. The crate as in claim 12, wherein said safety catch mechanism preventing inadvertent rotation of said rotary locking elements comprises: (a) an extended protrusion forming a part of said rotary locking element, wherein said extended protrusion is configured to assume at least two different conformations selected from the group consisting of: (1) an activated conformation wherein a terminal portion of said extended protrusion is displaced in an upward direction, towards said rotary locking element, upon a force exerted from underneath by a terminal top portion of said unlocking element;(2) a default conformation wherein said extended protrusion is not displaced in said upward direction;(b) a detent, said detent is configured to interact with said terminal portion of said extended protrusion in said default conformation, thereby preventing inadvertent rotation of said rotary locking element; said detent is further configured not to interact in said activated conformation, thereby sustaining rotation of said rotary locking element, upon a force exerted from underneath by said terminal top portion of said unlocking element. 14. The crate as in claim 7, wherein said structured protrusion, extending inwardly from said inner surface of said longitudinal sidewall comprises an upwardly slanted back upper face. 15. The crate as in claim 7, wherein said flanking sidewall comprises at least one flanking strut, forming a channel in a side portion of said flanking sidewall. 16. The crate as in claim 7, wherein said flanking sidewall comprises at least one side recess, forming an opening on interior side of said flanking sidewall, configured to sustain a passage of said structured protrusion on said longitudinal sidewall through said opening. 17. The crate as in claim 7, wherein said rotary locking element comprises a chamfered terminal front face, being inwardly slanted. 18. The crate as in claim 7, wherein said at least one rotary locking element and said at least one unlocking element are modular and readily replaceable in individual manner. 19. The crate as in claim 7, wherein geometrical proportions of said unlocking element relatively to said rotary locking element define a translational lever, wherein upon effecting a relatively minor vertical translation of said unlocking element, a relatively major vertical translation of said terminal portion of said locking element is achieved; thereby rendering crate readily foldable.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.