Plastic container with foldable side wall, use of a container and a method for manufacturing a container

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plastic container for carrying items, to a method for manufacturing a container, and to the use of a container, which container comprises a base member and at least one side wall comprising an inner side surface and a bottom edge which is hingedly connected to at least one edge of the base member, wherein the at least one side wall is pivotally movable between an upright position and an outwardly folded position in relation to the base member. Furthermore, the inner side surface of the at least one side wall essentially coincides with a geometrical plane of the support surface of the base member, when the side wall is arranged in the outwardly folded position. The container further comprises a raise resisting locking device arranged to prevent the side wall from unintentional raising, when the side wall is arranged in the outwardly folded position.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A container ( 1 ) for carrying items, comprising
 a base member ( 2 ) having a top side support surface ( 3 ) and at least one edge ( 4 ), the top side support surface ( 3 ) defining a geometrical plane, and   at least one side wall ( 6 ) comprising an inner side surface ( 7 ) and a bottom edge ( 8 ) which is hingedly connected to the at least one edge ( 4 ) of the base member ( 2 ), wherein the at least one side wall ( 6 ) is pivotally movable between an substantially upright position and an outwardly folded position in relation to the base member ( 2 ),   wherein the inner side surface ( 7 ) of the at least one side wall ( 6 ) essentially coincides with the geometrical plane of the support surface ( 3 ) of the base member ( 2 ), when the side wall ( 6 ) is arranged in the outwardly folded position, and   wherein the container ( 1 ) further comprises a locking device ( 9 ) arranged to prevent the side wall from unintentional raising, when the side wall ( 6 ) is arranged in the outwardly folded position.   
     
     
         2 . A container according ( 1 ) to  claim 1 , wherein the locking device ( 9 ) comprises a raise force threshold, wherein the locking device prevents raising of the side wall ( 6 ) from the outwardly folded position until a raising force exerted on the side wall reaches the raise force threshold. 
     
     
         3 . A container ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking device ( 9 ) comprises at least one resilient member arranged to flex when the side wall ( 6 ) is being raised from the outwardly folded position. 
     
     
         4 . A container ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the edge ( 4 ) of the base member ( 2 ) comprises a first edge surface ( 11 ) and the bottom edge ( 8 ) of the side wall ( 6 ) comprises a second edge surface ( 12 ),
 wherein the locking device ( 9 ) is arranged in a space defined by the first and second edge surfaces ( 11 ,  12 ) and the geometrical plane of the support surface of the base member, when the side wall ( 6 ) is arranged in the outwardly folded position.   
     
     
         5 . A container ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking device ( 9 ) comprises:
 a first flexing projection ( 10 ) protruding from the base member ( 2 ), and   a projecting member ( 14 ) protruding from the bottom edge of the side wall,   wherein the projecting member ( 14 ) abuts the first flexing projection ( 10 ) when the side wall ( 6 ;  6   a;    6   b ) is arranged in the outwardly folded position.   
     
     
         6 . A container ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking device ( 9 ) comprises:
 a first and second flexing projection ( 10 ,  10 ′) protruding from the base member ( 2 ), and   a projecting member ( 14 ) protruding from the bottom edge of the side wall,   wherein the projecting member ( 14 ) abuts the first and second flexing projection ( 10 ,  10 ′) when the side wall ( 6 ;  6   a;    6   b ) is arranged in the outwardly folded position.   
     
     
         7 . A container ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises a brace member ( 16 ) which is connected between the edge ( 3 ) of the base member and the bottom edge ( 8 ) of the side wall, wherein the brace member ( 16 ) prevents the side wall ( 6 ) from folding further than the outwardly folded position. 
     
     
         8 . A container ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottom edge ( 8 ) of the side wall ( 6 ) is hingedly connected to the edge ( 3 ) of the base member ( 2 ) by at least one film hinge ( 17 ) extending at least partially along the edge ( 4 ) of the base member. 
     
     
         9 . A container ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottom edge ( 8 ) of the side wall ( 6 ) is hingedly connected to the edge ( 3 ) of the base member ( 2 ) by at least one snap-on hinge ( 17 ) extending at least partially along the edge ( 4 ) of the base member. 
     
     
         10 . A container ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking device is arranged to position the side wall in an inclined intermediate position between the upright position and the outwardly folded position. 
     
     
         11 . A container ( 1 ) according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein a flexing member ( 10 ;  10 ′), protruding from the base member, comprises at least one receive portion ( 140 ) arranged to receive a portion of a projecting member ( 14 ), the projecting member protruding from the bottom edge of the side wall, for securing the side wall when it is arranged in the inclined intermediate position.   
     
     
         12 . A container ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising four side walls ( 6   a,    6   b,    6   c,    6   d ), wherein each side wall is hingedly connected to separate edges of the base member ( 2 ) and each is pivotally moveable between an upright position and outwardly folded position in relation to the base member ( 2 ). 
     
     
         13 . Use of a container ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , for continuous line packaging of goods or foods in the container using a packing machine. 
     
     
         14 . Use of a container ( 1 ) according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one pivotally movable side wall of the container is being arranged in its upright position by the packing machine. 
     
     
         15 . Method for manufacturing a container ( 1 ) for carrying items, which container comprises a base member ( 2 ) and at least one side wall ( 6 ) which is hingedly connected to the base member, which side wall is pivotally movable between a substantially upright position and an outwardly folded position in relation to the base member ( 2 ), wherein a top side of the base member and an inner side of the side wall forms an essentially plane support surface when the side wall ( 6 ) is arranged in the outwardly folded position,
 the method comprising providing the container with a raise resisting locking device ( 9 ) which prevents the side wall from unintentional raising, when the side wall is arranged in the outwardly folded position.