Collapsible Container Adapted to be Mounted on an Upright Surface

Abstract

A collapsible container configured to be mountable on an upright surface, in which the container comprises: a front panel and a rear panel, each having an outer face and an inner face, an upper edge and a lower edge, and first and second side edges; and first and second collapsible sides, wherein the first side is attached to the first edges of the front and rear panels and the second side is attached to the second edges of the front and rear panels; a collapsible base; and a temporary mounting means configured to both mount the container to an upright surface and provide vertical and horizontal support to the container; wherein the panels and base define an interior space by adjustment of the panels from a first closed position where the panels are substantially adjacent and parallel, to a second open position providing an internal volume

1 . A portable collapsible container is removably mounted on an upright surface of a seatback, the container comprises: a front panel and a rear panel, each having an outer face and an inner face, an upper edge and a lower edge, and first and second side edges; and first and second collapsible sides, wherein the first side is attached to the first edges of the front and rear panels and the second side is attached to the second edges of the front and rear panels, the collapsible sides each comprise a preformed fold having an axis of bending aligned substantially parallel to the first and second edges; a collapsible base is joined to the lower edge of the front and rear panel; the base comprises a preformed fold having an axis of bending aligned substantially parallel to the lower edge; wherein the panels and base define an interior space by adjustment of the panels and preformed folds from a first closed position, where the panels are substantially adjacent and parallel, to a second open position, where the panels are separated and substantially parallel providing an internal volume; and a temporary mounting means configured to both mount the container to the upright surface and provide vertical and horizontal support to the container. 
     
     
         2 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein means is provided to maintain the container in one or more of the first or second positions. 
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the sides and base are adapted to bend inwards along the preformed folds in direction substantially parallel to the first and second side edges. 
     
     
         4 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the sides and the base are formed from separate components. 
     
     
         5 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the sides and the base are formed from a common component. 
     
     
         6 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the attachment means is provided on the outer surface of the rear panel. 
     
     
         7 . A container according to  claim 6  wherein the attachment means comprises an adhesive means configured to adhere the rear panel to the surface. 
     
     
         8 . A container according to  claim 6  wherein the attachment means comprises a hook element configured to attach to the material of the upright surface. 
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the attachment means comprises an attachment element detachable from the rear panel mounted on the surface, the attachment element and the rear panel comprising a reversible fastening means to attach them together. 
     
     
         10 . A container according to  claim 9  wherein the attachment element is mounted permanently on the surface and may form part of the surface. 
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the attachment means comprises an attachment element detachable from the rear panel having an adhesive means to adhere to the surface, the attachment element and the rear panel comprising a reversible fastening means to attach them together. 
     
     
         12 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the attachment means comprises a flexible magnetic strip arranged in the rear panel and a ferrous component in the front panel arranged proximate the magnetic strip in the closed position whereby the magnetic strip mounts the container to the upright surface and secures the container in the closed position as the front and the rear panels are held together magnetically. 
     
     
         13 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the attachment means comprises a slot-in fastening means comprising a projection on one of the rear panel and the attachment element and a recess on the other to retain the projection within the recess. 
     
     
         14 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the container comprises a slot adjacent to and outside of the front panel to receive a flat sheet, for example a printed sheet. 
     
     
         15 . A method of storing an item in a portable collapsible container according to  claim 1  removably mounted on an upright surface of a seatback comprising the steps of attaching the container to the upright surface and opening the container by pulling the front panel away from the rear panel and placing a content item into the container through the opening between the front and rear panel formed by opening the container.