Collapsible container and method of shopping

Abstract

A container ( 10 ) to be movable from an erect configuration to a folded configuration enabling stacking of a plurality of the containers ( 10 ). The containers has a pair of side walls ( 16 ) that fold down on to the base ( 14 ), and a pair of end walls ( 18 ) including an upper panel that is pivotally attached to the rim ( 12 ), and a lower panel ( 32 ) pivotally attached to the base ( 14 ). The panels ( 30, 32 ) pivot to provide for movement of the rim ( 12 ) to the base ( 14 ) so the container ( 10 ) assumes a folded configuration.

1 . A collapsible container including: 
 a base of a quadrilateral configuration so as to provide a pair of spaced generally parallel end edges and a pair of spaced generally parallel side edges;    an upper rim of a quadrilateral configuration so as to provide a pair of spaced generally parallel end edges and a pair of spaced generally parallel side edges;    a pair of side walls, each side wall extending generally between respective corresponding side edges of the base and upper rim when in an assembled position of said side wall, each side wall pivotally attached to one of said corresponding side edges so as to be angularly movable between said assembled position and a collapsed position where said side wall is positioned over and substantially parallel to the base;    a pair of end walls, each end wall extending generally between respective corresponding end edges of the base and upper rim when in an assembled position of said end wall, each end wall including a lower panel pivotally attached to one base end edge and an upper panel pivotally attached to one upper rim end edge, the lower and upper panels of each end wall pivotally attached to each other for movement between said assembled position and a collapsed position where the lower and upper panels are stacked over and substantially parallel to said base; and    wherein in the collapsed positions of the side and end walls, the upper rim is moved to a position substantially adjacent the base.    
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the side walls are pivotally attached to respective side edges of the upper rim.  
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the side walls fully extend between the base and the upper rim.  
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein one of the side walls is perpendicular to the base in its assembled position.  
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein the other side wall is at an obtuse angle relative to the base in its assembled position.  
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the end walls are at an obtuse angle relative to the base in their assembled position.  
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the upper rim is substantially in the shape of a trapezoid.  
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the base is substantially in the shape of a trapezoid.  
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the upper rim includes handles.  
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the handles are portions of the upper rim which are disposed inwardly of the upper rim periphery to form indents in the upper rim.  
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the handles are portions of said end edges.  
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the base and handles are dimensioned such that a first assembled container can be placed on top of a second assembled container with the first container base resting on the second container handles.  
   
   
       13 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the base, side walls and end walls are all disposed inwardly of the indents in the collapsed position of the side walls and end walls.  
   
   
       14 . The container of  claim 1 , further including releasable locking means for locking the side walls in their assembled position.  
   
   
       15 . The container of  claim 1 , further including releasable locking means for locking the end walls in their assembled position.  
   
   
       16 . The container of  claim 1 , further including a handle pivotally attached to said rim and movable angularly between a position extending away from the rim to facilitate a user grasping the handle, and a folded configuration in which the handle is adjacent the rim, with said rim having a recess to receive the handle when in the folded configuration.  
   
   
       17 . A stack of a plurality of containers according to  claim 1  wherein the side and end walls of the containers are in their collapsed positions.  
   
   
       18 . A bag carrying the plurality of collapsed containers of  claim 17 .  
   
   
       19 . A plurality of containers according to  claim 13 , wherein the side and end walls of the containers are in their collapsed positions, the collapsed containers being stacked with their indents aligned.  
   
   
       20 . A bag carrying the plurality of collapsed containers of  claim 18 , the bag having a securement strap extending along a set of the aligned indents for securing the collapsed containers to the bag.  
   
   
       21 . A bag carrying a plurality of collapsed containers according to  claim 18 , wherein the bag includes an attachment means for attachment to a shopping trolley.  
   
   
       22 . A method of shopping comprising: 
 (a) carrying at least one collapsible container, the container(s) having substantially rigid side and end walls;    (b) selecting goods to be purchased;    (c) paying for the selected goods;    (d) assembling said collapsible container(s); and    (d) packing the purchased goods into said assembled container(s).    
   
   
       23 . The method of shopping comprising: 
 (a) carrying at least one collapsible container, the container(s) having substantially rigid side and end walls;    (b) selecting goods to be purchased;    (c) paying for the selected goods;    (d) assembling said collapsible container(s); and    (d) packing the purchased goods into said assembled container(s) wherein step (a) includes carrying at least one container according to  claim 1 .    
   
   
       24 . The method of shopping comprising: 
 (a) carrying at least one collapsible container, the container(s) having substantially rigid side and end walls;    (b) selecting goods to be purchased;    (c) paying for the selected goods;    (d) assembling said collapsible container(s); and    (d) packing the purchased goods into said assembled container(s) wherein step (a) includes carrying a bag carrying a plurality of collapsed containers according to  claim 18 .    
   
   
       25 . The method of shopping comprising: 
 (a) carrying at least one collapsible container, the container(s) having substantially rigid side and end walls;    (b) selecting goods to be purchased;    (c) paying for the selected goods;    (d) assembling said collapsible container(s); and    (d) packing the purchased goods into said assembled container(s) wherein step (a) includes carrying a bag carrying a plurality of collapsed containers according to  claim 21 , the method including the step of attaching the bag to a shopping trolley via said attachment means.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the containers are stackable when assembled.