Collapsible Container For Air Shipment Cargo and Method of Use

Abstract

A collapsible container for air shipment cargo comprises a base, a top and collapsible side walls integral with each other to form a ring. Front and rear walls are hingedly secured to the base. Each of the side walls has upper and lower wall panels hinged together so as to enable each side wall to collapse inwardly. A door may be hinged to one of the side walls. Flaps having fasteners are hinged to the side walls and used to assemble and erect the container. Portions of the top have fasteners which are used to secure the front and rear walls to the top. One of the front and rear walls has upper and lower portions forming an obtuse angle with each other when the container is erected.

1 . A collapsible container comprising: 
 a base;    a top having two opposed flanges;    a front wall hingedly secured to said base;    a rear wall hingedly secured to said base;    side walls integral with said base and top, each of said side walls being collapsible inwardly;    flaps hinged to said side walls, wherein said flaps and said flanges of said top may be secured to said front and rear wall panels to erect said container.    
     
     
         2 . The collapsible container of  claim 1  wherein said front and rear walls each have a strap secured thereto to aid in assembly of said container.  
     
     
         3 . The collapsible container of  claim 1  further comprising a collapsible door hinged to one of said walls.  
     
     
         4 . The collapsible container of  claim 1  wherein said flaps and said flanges of said top may be secured to said front and rear walls with fasteners.  
     
     
         5 . The collapsible container of  claim 1  wherein each of said side walls has an upper portion integral with a lower portion.  
     
     
         6 . The collapsible container of  claim 1  wherein at least some of said flaps are integral with said side walls.  
     
     
         7 . The collapsible container of  claim 1  wherein at least some of said flaps are secured to said side walls with hinges.  
     
     
         8 . A collapsible container comprising: 
 a base;    a top having two opposed flanges;    a front wall secured to said base with a hinge;    a rear wall having a upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion being secured to said base with a hinge and forming an obtuse angle with said upper portion of said rear wall when said container is erected;    side walls integral with said base and said top, each of said side walls having integral upper and lower portions hinged together so as to enable said side wall to hinge and collapse inwardly;    flaps integral with said side walls for securing said side walls to said front and rear walls when said container is erected.    
     
     
         9 . The collapsible container of  claim 8  wherein at least some of said flaps have fasteners attached thereto which may pass through openings in said front and rear walls for assembly of said container.  
     
     
         10 . The collapsible container of  claim 8  further comprising a collapsible door.  
     
     
         11 . The collapsible container of  claim 9  further comprising fasteners attached to said flaps for erecting the container.  
     
     
         12 . The collapsible container of  claim 10  wherein said door has an upper portion integral with a lower portion.  
     
     
         13 . A collapsible container comprising: 
 a base;    a top;    a front wall hingedly secured to said base;    a rear wall hingedly secured to said base;    side walls integral with said base and top, each of said side walls having integral upper and lower portions hinged together and being collapsible inwardly;    flaps for securing said side walls to said front and rear walls to erect said container.    
     
     
         14 . The collapsible container of  claim 13  wherein each of said flaps has latches thereon which pass through said front and rear walls and are used to assemble the container.  
     
     
         15 . The collapsible container of  claim 13  wherein said top has opposed flanges, each of said flanges having latches thereon which pass through said front and rear walls and are used to assemble the container.  
     
     
         16 . The collapsible container of  claim 13  further comprising hinges joining said front and rear walls to said base.  
     
     
         17 . The collapsible container of  claim 13  further comprising a door having an upper portion hinged to a lower portion.  
     
     
         18 . A method of erecting a collapsible container, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a collapsed container;    lifting a top of the collapsed container, thereby erecting side walls of the collapsed container;    lifting front and rear walls hingedly secured to a base of the collapsed container;    securing the top of the container to the front and rear walls of the container;    securing flaps hinged to said side walls of the container to the front and rear walls of the container.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein securing the top of the container to the front and rear walls of the container comprises passing rotatable latches through openings in the front and rear walls of the container and rotating the latches to prevent the latches from passing through the openings in the front and rear walls of the container.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein lifting said front and rear walls of the collapsed container comprises pulling on a strap secured to each of said front and rear walls.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said step of securing flaps hinged to said side walls of the container to the front and rear walls of the container comprises passing rotatable latches located on the flaps of the container through openings in the front and rear walls of the container and rotating the latches.  
     
     
         22 . A method of erecting a collapsible container, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a collapsed container having a top with opposed flanges, each of said flanges having at least one latch thereon;    raising the top of the collapsed container, thereby erecting collapsed side walls of the collapsed container, each of the side walls having flaps hinged thereto and at least one of the side walls having a collapsible door formed therein;    lifting front and rear walls hingedly secured to a base of the collapsed container;    passing said latches located on the flanges of the top of the container through openings in the front and rear walls of the container;    securing the top of the container to the front and rear walls of the container with the latches;    passing latches located on the flaps of the container through openings in the front and rear walls of the container;    securing the flaps of the container to the front and rear walls of the container using the latches.