Two frame collapsible structure and method of making and using same

Abstract

A collapsible structure having a plurality of side panels and a floor panel forming an enclosure having an open top. Each side panel comprises a web of material, and an edging material. The collapsible structure includes at least two flexible continuous loop frames which are substantially enveloped by the edging. The edging coupled to the periphery of the web. One or more handles may be attached to the structure or formed within one or more of the side panels. A method of making and collapsing the structure is also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A collapsible structure having an open top, said collapsible structure comprising: 
 a plurality of webs, each web having a perimeter;    a plurality of edgings, each said edging being attached to substantially the entire perimeter of one of said webs and forming a pocket about the periphery of each web;    a plurality of continuous loop flexible frame members, each said frame member being positioned within one of said edging and forming a side panel having a bottom side and two lateral sides;    a floor panel having a plurality of sides, each said side panel bottom side being attached to a floor panel side; and    each said lateral side of each side panel being attached to a lateral side of another side panel.    
     
     
         2 . The collapsible structure of    claim 1   , further comprising at least one handle member, said handle member being secured to at least one of said side panels.  
     
     
         3 . The collapsible structure of    claim 1   , further comprising at least one aperture being formed within at least on side panel.  
     
     
         4 . The collapsible structure of    claim 1   , further including a storage pouch, said storage pouch being coupled to one of said side panels near said open top.  
     
     
         5 . The collapsible structure of    claim 1   , wherein said side panels are substantially rectangular.  
     
     
         6 . The collapsible structure of    claim 1   , wherein said plurality of side panels is four.  
     
     
         7 . The collapsible structure of    claim 1   , wherein said frame of each of said side panels is flexible.  
     
     
         8 . A collapsible structure having an open top, said structure comprising: 
 a plurality of side panels, each side panel including a web having a perimeter, an edging attached to the perimeter of the web and forming a pocket, and a continuous loop frame;    the frame being positioned within the edging pocket;    each said side panel having a first side and at least two lateral sides;    a plurality of side panel separators, said side panel separators each having a first end, a second end, and two lateral sides;    a floor panel having a plurality of sides and a plurality of corner sections, each of said floor panel sides being attached to one of the first sides of each said side panel;    each corner section of said floor panel being coupled to one of the first ends of each said side panel separator; and    each said lateral side of each side panel separator being attached to a lateral side of each side panel.    
     
     
         9 . The collapsible structure of    claim 8   , further comprising at least one handle member, said handle member being secured to at least one of said side panels.  
     
     
         10 . The collapsible structure of    claim 8   , further comprising a seam cover attached to said side panels and substantially enveloping a predetermined portion of said edging.  
     
     
         11 . The collapsible structure of    claim 8   , further comprising at least one aperture being formed within at least one side panel.  
     
     
         12 . The collapsible structure of    claim 8   , further including a storage pouch, said storage pouch being coupled to one of said side panels near said open top.  
     
     
         13 . The collapsible structure of    claim 8   , wherein said side panels are substantially rectangular.  
     
     
         14 . The collapsible structure of    claim 8   , wherein said plurality of side panels is an even number.  
     
     
         15 . The collapsible structure of    claim 8   , wherein said web of each of said side panels is flexible web of material.  
     
     
         16 . The collapsible structure of    claim 8   , wherein said frame of each of said side panels is flexible.  
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a collapsible structure having an open top, a plurality of side panels wherein each side panel includes a web having a perimeter, an edging attached to the perimeter forming a pocket, and a frame having a first end and a second end; each said side panel having a first side and at least two lateral sides; a plurality of side panel separators each having a first end and two lateral sides; a floor panel having a plurality of sides and a plurality of corner sections, said method comprising the steps of: 
 attaching an edging to the perimeter of each web, said edging forming a pocket about each web periphery;    attaching each floor panel corner section to the first end of a side panel separator;    attaching each said first side of each side panel to a side of said floor panel sides;    attaching each said lateral side of said side panel separators to a side panel lateral side;    inserting the flexible frame through each edging pocket of each side panel; and    connecting said first end and said second end of each flexible frame member.    
     
     
         18 . The method of    claim 17   , further comprising the step of: 
 attaching at least one handle member to at least one of said side panels.    
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 17    further comprising the step of: 
 forming at least one aperture in at least one side panel.  
 
     
     
         20 . The method of    claim 17   , further including the steps of: 
 attaching a seam cover to a predetermined portion of each edging.    
     
     
         21 . A method of manufacturing a collapsible structure having an open top, said method comprising the steps of: 
 attaching a plurality of edgings having a first end and a second end to a plurality of webs, said edging attached to the perimeter of each web to form a side panel, said side panel including a first side corresponding to said open top, a second side, and at least two lateral sides;    attaching each side of a floor panel having a plurality of sides to the second side of a side panel;    attaching each lateral side of each side panel to the lateral side of an adjacent side panel;    inserting a flexible frame having a first end and a second end through each edging of each side panel;    crimping together said first end and the second end of each flexible frame using a connector.    
     
     
         22 . A method of collapsing a collapsible structure comprising a plurality of side panels, a floor panel, a plurality of side panel separators, at least one handle member, and a storing structure, said method comprising the steps of: 
 biasing a corner of said holding structure toward an opposite corner until said side panels are adjacent and overlay each other;    inserting said handle members and said floor panel between two of said adjacent side panels;    rotating two opposite corners of said adjacent overlaying side panels in opposite directions;    biasing said two corners toward each other and forming three adjacent circular loops overlaying each other;    inserting said adjacent overlaying circular loops into said storing structure.    
     
     
         23 . A collapsible structure having an open top, said collapsible structure comprising: 
 a plurality of adjacent side panels, each of said side panels including a web having a perimeter, an edging attached to substantially the entire perimeter of the web and forming a peripheral pocket, and a single loop frame positioned within the pockets of a selected pair of contiguous side panels;    each of said side panels having a bottom side, a top side and two lateral sides;    a floor panel having a plurality of sides, each of said floor panel sides being attached to at least one of said side panel bottom sides;    each of said lateral sides of each side panel being attached to the lateral side of an adjacent side panel.    
     
     
         24 . The collapsible structure of    claim 23   , wherein said single loop frame includes an intermediate cross-over portion to define a general figure eight configuration of said loop frame.  
     
     
         25 . The collapsible structure of    claim 24   , wherein said cross-over portion of said single loop frame includes at least one helical portion.  
     
     
         26 . The collapsible structure of    claim 25   , wherein said frame and said at least one helical portion has a rectangular cross section.  
     
     
         27 . The collapsible structure of    claim 25    wherein said frame and said at least one helical portion has a circular cross section.  
     
     
         28 . The collapsible structure of    claim 23   , further comprising at least one handle member, said handle member being secured to at least one of said panels.  
     
     
         29 . The collapsible structure of    claim 23   , further comprising at least one aperture being formed within at least one side panel.  
     
     
         30 . The collapsible structure or    claim 23   , further including a storage pouch, said storage pouch being coupled to one of said side panels near said open top.  
     
     
         31 . The collapsible structure of    claim 23   , wherein said side panels are substantially rectangular.  
     
     
         32 . The collapsible structure of    claim 23   , wherein said plurality of side panels is four.  
     
     
         33 . The collapsible structure of    claim 23   , wherein said frame of each of said side panels is flexible.  
     
     
         34 . The collapsible structure of    claim 23   , wherein said plurality of side panels is an even number.  
     
     
         35 . A collapsible structure having an open top, said structure comprising: 
 a plurality of side panels, each of said side panels including a web having a perimeter, an edging attached to the perimeter of the web and forming a pocket, and a continuous loop frame;    the frame being positioned within the edging pocket;    each of said side panels having a bottom side and at least two lateral sides;    a plurality of side panel separators, said side panel separators each having a first end, a second end, and two lateral sides;    a floor panel having a plurality of sides and a plurality of corner sections, each of said floor panel sides being attached to the bottom side of at least one of said side panels;    each corner section of said floor panel being coupled to the first end of one of said side panel separators; and    each of said lateral sides of each side panel separator being attached to a lateral side of a side panel.    
     
     
         36 . The collapsible structure of    claim 35   , further comprising at least one handle member, said handle member being secured to at least one of said side panels.  
     
     
         37 . The collapsible structure of    claim 35   , further comprising a seam cover attached to said side panels and substantially enveloping a predetermined portion of said edging.  
     
     
         38 . The collapsible structure of    claim 35   , further comprising at least one aperture being formed within at least one side panel.  
     
     
         39 . The collapsible structure of    claim 35   , further including a storage pouch, said storage pouch being coupled to one of said side panels near said open top.  
     
     
         40 . The collapsible structure of    claim 35   , wherein said side panels are substantially rectangular.  
     
     
         41 . The collapsible structure of    claim 35   , wherein said plurality of side panels is an even number.  
     
     
         42 . The collapsible structure of    claim 35   , wherein said web of each said side panels is flexible web of material.  
     
     
         43 . The collapsible structure of    claim 35   , wherein said frame of each of said side panels is flexible.  
     
     
         44 . A method of collapsing a collapsible structure comprising a plurality of side panels, a floor panel, a plurality of side panel separators, at least one handle member, and a storing structure, said method comprising the steps of: 
 biasing a corner of said collapsible structure toward an opposite corner until said side panels are adjacent and overlie each other;    inserting said handle members and said floor panel between two of said adjacent side panels;    rotating two opposite corners of said adjacent overlying side panels in opposite directions;    biasing said two corners toward each other and forming three adjacent circular loops overlying each other;    inserting said adjacent overlying circular loops into said storing structure.    
     
     
         45 . The collapsible structure of    claim 1    wherein said edging includes a non-continuous, gapped portion defining an exposed, frame portion, and wherein said collapsible structure further comprises at least one handle member, said handle member being secured around at least one of said frame members at said exposed frame portion.  
     
     
         46 . The collapsible structure of    claim 8    wherein said edging includes a non-continuous, gapped portion defining an exposed frame portion, and wherein said collapsible structure further comprises at least one handle member, said handle member being secured around at least one of said frame members at said exposed frame portion.  
     
     
         47 . The method of    claim 17    further comprising the steps of: 
 providing an exposed frame portion wherein said edging includes a non-continuous gapped portion and  
 attaching at least one handle member around at least one of said frame members at said exposed frame portion.  
 
     
     
         48 . The method of    claim 21    further comprising the step of: 
 attaching at least one handle member around at least one of said frame members.  
 
     
     
         49 . The collapsible structure of    claim 23    wherein said edging includes a non-continuous, gapped portion defining an exposed, frame portion, and wherein said collapsible structure further includes at least one handle member, said handle member being secured around at least one of said frame members at said exposed frame portion.  
     
     
         50 . The collapsible structure of    claim 35    wherein said edging includes a non-continuous, gapped portion defining an exposed, frame portion, and wherein said collapsible structure further includes at least one handle member, said handle member being secured around at least one of said frame members at said exposed frame portion.