Collapsible box

Abstract

A collapsible box having front, bottom, back, left side and right side panels are formed from a foldable panel body. In the panel body, the front, bottom and back panels are interconnected foldably in sequence and the left and right side panels are connected foldably to left and right sides of the bottom panel, respectively. Four connectors are provided to connect the left and right side panels to the front and back panels. Each connector is made up of two connector panels. Each of the aforesaid panels includes a panel plate sandwiched between two sheet layers. The sheet layers of the panels are connected to each other, while the panel plates of the panels are spaced apart from each other to form gaps, thereby providing foldable connections between the panels.

1 . A collapsible box comprising: 
 a foldable panel body foldable to form a container which includes at least a front panel, a bottom panel, a back panel, a left side panel, and a right side panel;    said panel body including said front, bottom, back, left side and right side panels, wherein said front, bottom and back panels are foldably connected to each other in sequence, said left and right side panels are connected foldably and respectively to left and right sides of said bottom panel,    said panel body further including a plurality of connectors to connect foldably said left and right side panels to said front and back panels so as to form corners of said container, one pair of said connectors being connected foldably and respectively to left and right sides of said front panel, the other one pair of said connectors being connected foldably and respectively to left and right sides of said back panel, each of said connectors having two connector panels which are interconnected foldably;    said panel body further including a plurality of foldable connections among said front, bottom, back, left side, right side and connector panels so that said panel body is foldable along said foldable connections; and    each of said front, bottom, back, left side, right side, and connector panels having a panel plate, and at least first and second sheet layers which sandwich said panel plate, said first and second sheet layers of said front, bottom, back, left side, right side, and connector panels being connected to each other, while said panel plates thereof are separated and spaced apart from each other to form gaps therebetween, portions of said first and second sheet layers corresponding to said gaps forming said foldable connections.    
   
   
       2 . The collapsible box as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said panel body is folded to a two-layer flat configuration in which each pair of said connectors are placed over one of said front and back panels and in which said left and right side panels are placed over said bottom panel, one of said connector panels in each of said connectors being fixed to an interior surface of one of said back and front panels so that said front and back panels are movable upward concurrently with the upward movement of said left and right side panels when said left and right side panels are lifted upward.  
   
   
       3 . The collapsible box as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said panel body is further folded to a compact storage position in which said front and back panels are folded to lie over said bottom panel opposite to said left and right side panels.  
   
   
       4 . The collapsible box as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said connector panels of each connector includes a first connector panel connected foldably to one of said front and back panels and fixed to said interior surface of one of said front and back panels, and a second connector panel connected foldably to one of said left and right side panels, said first and second connector panels being connected foldably along one of said foldable connections which extends along a diagonal line extending from one of four corners of said bottom panel, said one of said foldable connections terminating at a point below a top edge of one of said front and back panels after said front and back panels move upward.  
   
   
       5 . The collapsible box as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said first connector panel is trapezoidal, and said second connector panel is triangular.  
   
   
       6 . The collapsible box as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the height of said container formed from said panel body is larger than half of the width of said bottom panel measured between said left and right side panels, and wherein said left side panel overlaps said right side panel when said panel body is folded to lay said left and right side panels over said bottom panel.  
   
   
       7 . The collapsible box as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the height of said container formed from said panel body is larger than half of the width of said bottom panel measured between said left and right side panels, and wherein said left side panel overlaps said right side panel when said panel body is folded to lay said left and right side panels over said bottom panel.  
   
   
       8 . The collapsible box as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising a lid, said container further including a top opening covered by said lid, said lid including a top panel, and side portions extending downward from said top panel and confining a receiving space with said top panel, said panel body being stored in said receiving space after being folded to said compact storage position.  
   
   
       9 . The collapsible box as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said panel plates of said front, bottom, back, left and right side panels is larger than the thickness of said panel plates of said connector panels.