Collapsible crate

Abstract

A collapsible crate, which has an especially sturdy construction, making it particularly suitable for containing and transporting large containers, such as one-gallon water or milk jugs, is disclosed. The crate may also be used for suspending file folders without the use of a rack onto which the file folders are suspended. The crate comprises a bottom panel, a top rectangular frame, two side panels pivotally connected at opposite ends of the frame, and front and back folding panels pivotally connected at their lower ends to opposite ends of the bottom panel and at their upper ends to corresponding opposite ends of the top frame, adjacent the side panels. The crate appears as a normal milk crate, but is collapsible to a very low profile by swinging the side panels up toward the frame, so that the side panels are substantially parallel to the bottom panel and co-planar with the frame, then allowing the front and back panels to fold inwardly to bring the top frame and bottom panel together, such that the crate structure is compressed into a compact configuration.

1 . A collapsible container having a first upright position for holding items and a second folded compact position for storage, wherein said container comprises: 
 a. a bottom panel  2 ;    b. a top frame  3 ;    c. two side panels  4 ,  5 , said side panels being pivotally connected to opposite ends of the top frame  3 ;    d. a front folding panel  6  comprising upper  10  and lower  8  ends and pivotally connected upper  24  and lower  25  panel sections, said front folding panel  6  being pivotally connected to the top frame  3  at its upper end  10  and being pivotally connected to the bottom panel  2  at its lower end  8 ;    e. a back folding panel  7  comprising upper  11  and lower ends  9  and pivotally connected upper  24  and lower  25  panel sections, said back folding panel  7  being pivotally connected to the top frame  3  at its upper end  11  and being pivotally connected to the bottom panel  2  at its lower end  9 ;    f. at least one L-shaped extending panel  36  formed integral with the upper panel section  24  of the front folding panel  6 ;    g. at least one L-shaped extending panel  36  formed integral with the upper panel section  24  of the back folding panel  7 ;    h. at least one receiving groove  37  formed in the lower panel section  25  of the front folding panel  6 ; wherein said receiving groove  37  engages the L-shaped extending panel  36  of the front folding panel  6  when the container  1  is in the upright position; and    i. at least one receiving groove  37  formed in the lower panel section  25  of the back folding panel  7 ; wherein said receiving groove  37  engages the L- shaped extending panel  36  of the back folding panel  7  when the container  1  is in the upright position; wherein    engagement between the L-shaped extending panels  36  and receiving grooves  37  prevents the lower  24  and upper  25  panel sections of the front  6  and back  7  folding panels from folding outward when the container  1  is in the upright position, and wherein    the container  1  can be folded into the compact position by pivotally swinging the side panels  4 , 5  towards the top frame  3  and folding the front  6  and back  7  folding panels inward to cause the container  1  to collapse to the compact position.    
     
     
         2 . A collapsible container comprising The container of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the bottom panel  2  comprises a base  15  and a shallow border wall  14  extending orthogonal and upward from the base  15 , and wherein said border wall  14  comprises opposite first and second side walls  16 ,  17  and opposite back and front walls  18 ,  19 .    
     
     
         3 . The collapsible container of  claim 2 , wherein the front wall  18  comprises a central hinge coupling panel  32  that pivotally connects with a pin rod formed on the lower end  8  of the front folding panel  6 .  
     
     
         4 . The collapsible container of  claim 2 , wherein the back wall  19  comprises a central hinge coupling panel  33  that pivotally connects with a pin rod formed on the lower end  9  of the back folding panel  7 .  
     
     
         5 . The collapsible container of  claim 2 , further comprising a first aperture  20   a  and a second aperture  20   b  disposed in the first sidewall  16 , and a first aperture  21   a  and a second aperture  21   b  disposed in the second sidewall  17 , each of said apertures  20   a ,  20   b ,  21   a ,  21   b  being disposed proximal to a corner of the border wall  14 .  
     
     
         6 . The collapsible container of  claim 5 , further comprising first and second hinge pins disposed respectively in the first  20   a  and second  20   b  apertures of the first sidewall  16 , wherein the first hinge pin is connected to the front folding panel  6  and the second hinge pin is connected to the back folding panel  7 .  
     
     
         7 . The collapsible container of  claim 2 , further comprising third and fourth hinge pins disposed respectively in the first  21   a  and second apertures  21   b  of the second sidewall  17 , wherein the third hinge pin is connected to the front folding panel  6  and the fourth hinge pin is connected to the back folding panel  7 .  
     
     
         8 . The collapsible container of  claim 2 , wherein each of the upper panel sections  24  comprises a first mating hinge notch  26  at their respective lower edges  28  that pivotally connects with a second mating hinge notch  27  disposed at the respective upper edges  29  of each of the lower panel sections  25 .  
     
     
         9 . The collapsible container of  claim 2 , further comprising a pair of hinge notches  23   a ,  23   b  disposed in the back wall  19 , wherein each hinge notch,  23   a ,  23   b  connects pivotally with the back folding panel  7  via a hinge pin.  
     
     
         10 . The collapsible container of  claim 2 , further comprising a pair of hinge notches  22   a ,  22   b  disposed in the front wall  18 , wherein each hinge notch,  22   a ,  22   b  connects pivotally with the front folding panel  6  via a hinge pin.  
     
     
         11 . The collapsible container of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one central hinge coupling panel  33  disposed in the back wall  19 , wherein said central hinge coupling panel  33  pivotally connects with the back folding panel  7 .  
     
     
         12 . The collapsible container of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one central hinge coupling panel  32  disposed in the front wall  18 , wherein said central hinge coupling panel  32  pivotally connects with the front folding panel  6 .  
     
     
         13 . The collapsible container of  claim 1 , wherein the top frame  3  comprises a front frame wall  40 , a back frame wall  41  and a first sidewall  42  and a second sidewall  43 .  
     
     
         14 . The collapsible container of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one hinge notch  22  and at least one hinge coupling panel  23  disposed in the back frame wall  41 , wherein said hinge notch  22  and hinge coupling panel  23  interface pivotally with the back folding panel  7 .  
     
     
         15 . The collapsible container of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one hinge notch  22  and at least one hinge coupling panel  23  disposed in the front frame wall  40 , wherein said hinge notch  22  and hinge coupling panel  23  interface pivotally with the front folding panel  6 .  
     
     
         16 . The collapsible container of  claim 2 , further comprising a first and a second recessed portion  45   a ,  45   b  each comprising an aperture and being formed in the front frame wall  40 , said first and second recessed portions  45   a ,  45   b  being disposed adjacent a corner of the top frame  3  wherein the first recessed portion  45   a  pivotally connects to an upper edge of the first side panel  4  and the second recessed portion  45   b  pivotally connects to an upper edge of the second side panel  5 .  
     
     
         17 . A collapsible container having a first upright position for holding items and a second compact position for storage, comprising: 
 a. atop frame  3 ;    b. a bottom panel  2 ;    c. a first side panel  4  pivotally connected to the top frame  3 ;    d. a second side panelS pivotally connected to the top frame  3 ;    e. a front folding panel  6  comprising upper  10  and lower  8  ends and pivotally connected upper  24  and lower  25  panel sections, said front folding panel  6  being pivotally connected to the top frame  3  at its upper end  10  and being pivotally connected to the bottom panel  2  at its lower end  8 ;    f. a back folding panel  7  comprising upper  11  and lower ends  9  and pivotally connected upper  24  and lower  25  panel sections, said back folding panel  7  being pivotally connected to the top frame  3  at its upper end  11  and being pivotally connected to the bottom panel  2  at its lower end  9 ;    g. at least one L-shaped extending panel  36  formed integral with the upper panel section  24  of the front folding panel  6 ;    h. at least one L-shaped extending panel  36  formed integral with the upper panel section  24  of the back folding panel  7 ;    i. at least one receiving groove  37  formed in the lower panel section  25  of the front folding panel  6 ; wherein said receiving groove  37  engages the L-shaped extending panel  36  of the front folding panel  6  when the container  1  is in the upright position; and    j. at least one receiving groove  37  formed in the lower panel section  25  of the back folding panel  7 ; wherein said receiving groove  37  engages the L-shaped extending panel  36  of the back folding panel  7  when the container  1  is in the upright position; wherein    engagement between the L-shaped extending panels  36  and receiving grooves  37  prevents the lower  24  and upper  25  panel sections of the front  6  and back  7  folding panels from folding outward when the container  1  is in the upright position.    
     
     
         18 . The collapsible container of  claim 17 , wherein the container  1  can be folded into the compact position by pivotally swinging the first and second side panels  4 ,  5  towards the top frame  3  and folding the front  6  and back  7  folding panels inward to cause the container  1  to collapse to the compact position.  
     
     
         19 . A method for folding a collapsible container comprising a top frame, a bottom panel, a first side panel and a second side panel, a front folding panel and a back folding panel, comprising the steps of: 
 a. applying pressure to the first side panel  4  to pivotally swing the first side panel  4  towards the top frame  3 ;    b. applying pressure to the first second panel  5  to pivotally swing the second side  5  panel towards the top frame  3 ;    c. applying pressure to the front folding panel  6  to fold the front folding panel  6  inward; and    d. applying pressure to the back folding panel  7  to fold the back folding panel  7  inward to cause the container  1  to collapse to a compact configuration; wherein    the pivot axes of the first and second side panels  4 ,  5  are disposed above the pivot axes of the front folding panel  6  and back folding panel  7 .    
     
     
         20 . A collapsible container comprising: 
 a. a bottom panel  2 , wherein said bottom panel  2  comprises a base  15  and a shallow border wall  14  extending orthogonal and upwardly from the base  15 ; said shallow border wall  14  comprising a first sidewall  16  and second sidewall  17  disposed opposite to one another, and a back wall  18  and a front wall  19  disposed opposite to one another;    b. a front folding panel  6  comprising an upper panel section  24  and a lower panel section  25 , wherein said upper panel section  24  comprises a first mating hinge notch  26  that pivotally connects with a second mating hinge notch  27  disposed in the lower panel  25 ;    c. a pair of hinge notches  22   a ,  22   b  disposed in the front wall  16 , wherein each hinge notch pivotally connects to the front folding panel  6 ;    d. a back folding panel  7  comprising an upper panel section  24  and a lower panel section  25 , wherein said upper panel section  24  comprises a first mating hinge notch  26  that pivotally connects with a second mating hinge notch  27  disposed in the lower panel  25 ;    e. a pair of hinge notches  23   a ,  23   b  disposed in the back wall  19  wherein each hinge notch pivotally connects to the back folding panel  7 ;    f. at least a first aperture and a second aperture disposed in the first sidewall, and at least a first aperture and a second aperture disposed in the second sidewall, each of said apertures being disposed proximal to a corner of the border wall;    g. first and second hinge pins disposed respectively in the first and second apertures of the first sidewall, wherein the first hinge pin is connected to the front folding panel  6  and the second hinge pin is connected to the back folding panel  7 ;    h. third and fourth hinge pins disposed respectively in the first and second apertures of the second sidewall, wherein the third hinge pin is connected to the front folding panel  6  and the fourth hinge pin is connected to the back folding panel  7 ;    i. at least one central hinge coupling panel  33  disposed in the back wall  19 , wherein said central hinge coupling panel  33  pivotally connects to the back folding panel  7 ;    j. at least one central hinge coupling panel  32  disposed in the front wall  18 , wherein said central hinge coupling panel  32  pivotally connects with the front folding panel  6 ;    k. at least one L-shaped extending panel  36  formed integral with the upper section  26  of the front folding panel  6  and at least one L-shaped extending panel  36  formed integral with the upper section  26  of the back folding panel  7 ;    l. at least one recess  37  formed integral with the bottom section  25  of the front folding panel  6 ; wherein said recess  37  interfaces with the L-shaped extending panel  36  of the front folding panel  6 ;    m. at least one recess  37  formed integral with the bottom section  25  of the back folding panel  7 , wherein said recess  37  interfaces with the L-shaped extending panel  36  of the back folding panel  7 ;    n. a top frame  3  comprising a front frame wall  40  a back frame wall  41 , and a first sidewall  42  and second sidewall  43  disposed opposite to one another;    o. at least one hinge notch  22  and at least one hinge coupling panel  23  disposed in the back frame wall  41 , wherein said hinge notch  22  and hinge coupling panel  23  interface with the back folding panel  7 ;    p. at least one hinge notch  22  and at least one hinge coupling panel  23  disposed in the front frame wall  40 , wherein said hinge notch  22  and hinge coupling panel  23  interface with the front folding panel  6 ;    q. a first and a second recessed portion  45   a ,  45   b  each comprising an aperture and being formed in the front frame wall  40 , said first and second recessed portions  45   a ,  45   b  being disposed adjacent a corner of the top frame  3 , wherein the first recessed portion  45   a  pivotally connects to an upper edge  10  of the first side panel  4  and the second recessed portion  45 b pivotally    connects to an upper edge  11  of the second side panel  5 ; wherein the pivot axes of the side panels  4 ,  5  are disposed above the pivot axes of the front folding panel  6  and back folding panel  7  and the container can be folded by pivotally swing the side panels towards the top frame and then folding the front folding panel and back folding panel inward to cause the frame to collapse to a compact configuration.