Expandable and collapsable container

Abstract

A shipping container that is expandable and collapsible. The expandable and collapsible shipping container includes an upper half and a lower half. The upper half may fit over and slide onto the lower half. At least one linear actuator may be activated to apply an upward force to the upper half. The upper half thereby is pushed upward and the shipping container is expanded.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An expandable shipping container comprising:
 an upper half having a top, a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall and a rear wall;   a lower half having a floor, a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall and a rear wall, wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall and the rear wall of the upper half fits over the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall and the rear wall of the lower half; and   at least one linear actuator having a shaft and a body, and wherein body is attached to the floor, and the shaft is against the top of the upper half,   wherein when said at least one linear actuator is activated, the top piece applies force against the upper half and lifts the upper half upwards relative to the lower half.   
     
     
         2 . The expandable shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one linear actuator is a plurality of linear actuators. 
     
     
         3 . The expandable shipping container of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of linear actuators comprises four linear actuators attached at the corners of the floor. 
     
     
         4 . The expandable shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the linear actuators are activated by manually cranking the linear actuators. 
     
     
         5 . The expandable shipping container of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery attached to a motor in the at least one actuator. 
     
     
         6 . The expandable shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the front wall of the upper half comprises at least one door connected to the upper half by a hinge. 
     
     
         7 . The expandable shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the front wall of the lower half comprises at least one door connected to the lower half by a hinge. 
     
     
         8 . The expandable shipping container of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one door is opened and closed via a door latch and a door latch handle.