Container

Abstract

The invention provides a container formed of a synthetic plastics material. The container includes a base having a plurality of sides. A side wall is connected to each side of the base via a hinge arrangement for displacement between a collapsed condition, and an erect condition in which the side walls extend upwardly from the base such that at least part of each side wall abuts against the base at a position spaced inwardly from an edge of the base. This arrangement ensures that loads are transmitted between the side walls and the base at positions spaced inwardly from the edges of the base. The container also includes locking means for locking the side walls in their erect condition. The invention further provides a container blank from which the container can be formed.

1 . A container formed of a synthetic plastics material which includes 
 a base having a plurality of sides;    a side wall connected to each side of the base via a hinge arrangement for displacement between a collapsed condition, and an erect condition in which the side walls extend upwardly from the base such that at least part of each side wall abuts against the base at a position spaced inwardly from an edge of the base so that loads are transmitted between the side walls and the base at positions spaced inwardly from the edges of the base; and    locking means for locking the side walls in their erect condition.    
   
   
       2 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  , in which the locking means is releasable to permit the container to be collapsible.  
   
   
       3 . A container as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the base has four sides with adjacent sides being perpendicular to one another, the container including four side walls.  
   
   
       4 . A container as claimed in  claim 3 , in which the base is rectangular having two long sides and two short sides.  
   
   
       5 . A container as claimed in  claim 4 , which includes a stiffening element connected to an operatively upper edge of each of at least some of the sidewalls.  
   
   
       6 . A container as claimed in  claim 5 , in which a stiffening element is connected to each side wall connected to a long side of the base.  
   
   
       7 . A container as claimed in  claim 6 , in which each stiffening element includes an elongate intermediate member having spaced apart longitudinally extending inner and outer edges, the intermediate member being hingedly connected along the outer edge to the operatively upper edge of the associated side wall and extending inwardly therefrom, an inner member which is connected to the outer edge of the intermediate member and extends downwardly therefrom adjacent an operatively inner surface of the associated side wall, and complementary retaining formations on the inner member and on the side wall which engage to retain the stiffening element in position.  
   
   
       8 . A container as claimed in  claim 7 , which includes, hingedly connected to an operatively upper edge of each side wall connected to a short side of the base, a transverse panel which is provided with engagement formations which engage with complementary engagement formations on the intermediate members thereby to connect the stiffening elements together.  
   
   
       9 . A container as claimed in  claim 4 , in which each side wall connected to a short side of the base has opposed side edges which extend between corresponding ends of the operatively upper and lower edges and to each of which is hingedly connected a support member which extends adjacent to and provides support to an end portion of the adjacent side wall connected to a long side of the base.  
   
   
       10 . A container as claimed in  claim 1 , in which at least one of the base and the side walls is provided with spaced apart locating protrusions which are receivable in complementary recesses in the other of the base and the side walls.  
   
   
       11 . A container as claimed in  claim 10 , in which the locating protrusions protrude operatively upwardly from a peripheral ridge on the base, the ridge being spaced inwardly from the edges of the base, the side walls having complementary downwardly open socket formations within which the locating protrusions are snap-lockingly receivable, the socket formations having lower edges which abut against the peripheral ridges and through which vertical loads are transmitted between the side walls and the base.  
   
   
       12 . A container blank for forming a container as claimed in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       13 . A container blank which includes: 
 a base panel having a plurality of sides;    a side wall panel connected to each side of the base panel via a hinge arrangement for displacement between a collapsed condition, and an erect condition, the hinge arrangements being configured so that when in an erect condition, the side wall panels extend upwardly from the base panel and lower edges of the side wall panels abut against the base panel at positions spaced inwardly from edges of the base panel; and    locking means for locking the side wall panels in their erect conditions.    
   
   
       14 . A container blank as claimed in  claim 13 , which is formed as a unitary moulding of a synthetic plastics material.  
   
   
       15 . A container formed of a synthetic plastics material which includes 
 a base having a plurality of sides;    a side wall connected, via a hinge arrangement, to each side of the base for displacement between a collapsed condition and an erect condition in which it extends upwardly from the base, each side wall having an operatively upper edge and an operatively lower edge;    locking means for locking the side walls in their erect condition; and    a stiffening element connected to the operatively upper edge of each of at least some of the side walls.    
   
   
       16 . A container as claimed in  claim 15 , in which the locking means is releasable to permit the container to be collapsible.  
   
   
       17 . A container as claimed in  claim 15 , in which the base has four sides with adjacent sides being perpendicular to one another, the container including four side walls.  
   
   
       18 . A container as claimed in  claim 17 , in which the base is rectangular having two long sides and two short sides.  
   
   
       19 . A container as claimed in  claim 18 , in which each side wall connected to a long side of the base has a stiffening element connected to the upper edge thereof.  
   
   
       20 . A container as claimed in  claim 19 , in which each stiffening element includes an elongate intermediate member which is hingedly connected along an edge thereof to the operatively upper edge of the associated side wall and extends inwardly therefrom, an inner member which is connected to an opposed longitudinal edge of the intermediate member and extends downwardly therefrom adjacent an operatively inner surface of the associated side wall, and complementary retaining formations on the inner member and on the side wall which engage to retain the stiffening element in position.  
   
   
       21 . A container as claimed in  claim 20 , which includes, hingedly connected to an operatively upper edge of each side wall connected to a short side of the base, a transverse panel which is provided with engagement formations which engage with complementary engagement formations on the intermediate members thereby to connect the stiffening elements together.  
   
   
       22 . A container as claimed in  claim 18 , in which each side wall connected to a short side of the base has opposed side edges which extend between corresponding ends of the operatively upper and lower edges and to each of which is hingedly connected a support member which extends adjacent to and provides support to an end portion of the adjacent side wall.  
   
   
       23 . A container blank for forming a container as claimed in  claim 15 .  
   
   
       24 . A container blank which includes 
 a base panel having a plurality of sides;    a side wall panel connected to each side of the base panel, each side wall having an operatively upper edge and an operatively lower edge whereby it is connected to the associated side of the base panel for displacement between a collapsed condition and an erect condition in which it extends upwardly from the base panel;    locking means for locking the side wall panels in their erect conditions; and    a stiffening element connected to the operatively upper edge of each of at least some of the side wall panels.    
   
   
       25 . A container blank as claimed in  claim 23 , which is formed as a unitary moulding of a synthetic plastics material.