Collapsible container for ammunition and other articles

Abstract

A collapsible container that includes a collapsible plate assembly formed by four plates joined by hinge pins along edges thereof, and includes a top lid and a bottom lid that may be joined to the collapsible plate assembly and latched into place. Each lid may be affixed to the collapsible plate assembly along one edge thereof with hinge pin segments configured to cooperate with hinge pin receiver segments, and along an opposing edge thereof with a clasp configured to engage a clasp receiver. A liner may be received within a plate assembly cavity formed by the collapsible plate assembly, with opposing end faces of the liner being configured to be depressed against the top and bottom lid to form a water-tight cavity. Methods for fabricating a collapsible container are also provided.

1 . A collapsible container comprising:
 a collapsible plate assembly comprising:
 first and second end plates each having two opposing edges defining a series of end plate hinge pin receivers; 
 first and second side plates each having two opposing edges defining a series of side plate hinge pin receivers; 
 a plurality of hinge pins joining edges of the first and second end plates to edges of the first and second side plates, wherein each hinge pin of the plurality of hinge pins extends through the hinge pin receivers of one end plate and through the hinge pin receivers of one side plate; 
 wherein the collapsible plate assembly is configured to be manipulated between a collapsed state having a flattened configuration and a deployed state having a rectangular configuration, with the collapsible plate assembly in the deployed state having a top opening and a bottom opening; 
   a top lid configured to cooperate with the collapsible plate assembly to cover the top opening; and   a bottom lid configured to cooperate with the collapsible plate assembly to cover the bottom opening.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first end plate comprises a first clasp receiver;   the top lid comprises a first pivotal linkage coupled with a first clasp that is configured to engage the first clasp receiver;   the second end plate comprises a second clasp receiver; and   the bottom lid comprises a second pivotal linkage coupled with a second clasp that is configured to engage the second clasp receiver.   
     
     
         3 . The collapsible container of  claim 2 , wherein:
 a first hinge joint is provided between the first end plate and the bottom lid; and   a second hinge joint is provided between the second end plate and the top lid.   
     
     
         4 . The collapsible container of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first hinge joint comprises a first plurality of hinge pin segments that are received by a first plurality of hinge pin segment receivers; and   the second hinge joint comprises a second plurality of hinge pin segments that are received by a second plurality of hinge pin segment receivers.   
     
     
         5 . The collapsible container of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the bottom lid comprises the first plurality of hinge pin segment receivers;   the first end plate comprises the first plurality of hinge pin segments;   the top lid comprises the second plurality of hinge pin segment receivers; and   the second end plate comprises the second plurality of hinge pin segments.   
     
     
         6 . The collapsible container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the top lid comprises an upper surface, a plurality of protruding features that protrude upward from the upper surface, a handle recess that is recessed relative to the upper surface, and a deployable handle that is configured to be received in the handle recess when the deployable handle is in a non-deployed position;   the bottom lid comprises a lower surface, and a plurality of recessed features that are recessed relative to the lower surface; and   the plurality of protruding features of the top lid correspond in size, shape, and placement to the plurality of recessed features of the bottom lid.   
     
     
         7 . The collapsible container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the top lid comprises a peripheral lip that extends downward relative to the upper surface, with the peripheral lip of the top lid laterally bounding a lower recess of the top lid;   the bottom lid comprises a peripheral lip that extends upward relative to the lower surface, with the peripheral lip of the bottom lid laterally bounding an upper recess of the bottom lid; and   when the collapsible plate assembly is in the deployed state, an upper perimeter of the collapsible plate assembly is configured to be received within the lower recess of the top lid, and a lower perimeter of the collapsible plate assembly is configured to be received within the upper recess of the bottom lid.   
     
     
         8 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for fabricating a collapsible container according to  claim 4 , the method comprising:
 inserting the first plurality of hinge pin segments into the first plurality of hinge pin segment receivers to join the first end plate and the bottom lid;   inserting the second plurality of hinge pin segments into the second plurality of hinge pin segment receivers to join the second end plate and the top lid;   engaging the first clasp with the first clasp receiver to secure the top lid in a position to cover the top opening; and   engaging the second clasp with the second clasp receiver to secure the bottom lid in a position to cover the bottom opening.   
     
     
         22 . A collapsible container comprising:
 a collapsible plate assembly comprising:
 first and second end plates each having two opposing edges defining a series of end plate hinge pin receivers; 
 first and second side plates each having two opposing edges defining a series of side plate hinge pin receivers; 
 a plurality of hinge pins joining edges of the first and second end plates to edges of the first and second side plates, wherein each hinge pin of the plurality of hinge pins extends through the hinge pin receivers of one end plate and through the hinge pin receivers of one side plate; 
 wherein the collapsible plate assembly is configured to be manipulated between a collapsed state having a flattened configuration and a deployed state having a rectangular configuration, with the collapsible plate assembly in the deployed state having a top opening and a bottom opening; 
   a top lid configured to cooperate with the collapsible plate assembly to cover the top opening;   a bottom lid configured to cooperate with the collapsible plate assembly to cover the bottom opening; and   a liner configured to be received within a plate assembly cavity formed by the collapsible plate assembly when in the deployed state, the liner having a generally rectangular tubular shape, comprising a top end face, and comprising a bottom end face;   wherein, when the liner is received within the plate assembly cavity and when the top lid and the bottom lid are secured in closed positions against the collapsible plate assembly, the top end face is configured to be depressed against the top lid and the bottom end face is configured to be depressed against the bottom lid to form a water-tight inner cavity of the collapsible container.   
     
     
         23 . The collapsible container of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the first end plate comprises a first clasp receiver;   the top lid comprises a first pivotal linkage coupled with a first clasp that is configured to engage the first clasp receiver;   the second end plate comprises a second clasp receiver; and   the bottom lid comprises a second pivotal linkage coupled with a second clasp that is configured to engage the second clasp receiver.   
     
     
         24 . The collapsible container of  claim 23 , wherein:
 a first hinge joint is provided between the first end plate and the bottom lid; and   a second hinge joint is provided between the second end plate and the top lid.   
     
     
         25 . The collapsible container of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the first hinge joint comprises a first plurality of hinge pin segments that are received by a first plurality of hinge pin segment receivers; and   the second hinge joint comprises a second plurality of hinge pin segments that are received by a second plurality of hinge pin segment receivers.   
     
     
         26 . The collapsible container of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the bottom lid comprises the first plurality of hinge pin segment receivers;   the first end plate comprises the first plurality of hinge pin segments;   the top lid comprises the second plurality of hinge pin segment receivers; and   the second end plate comprises the second plurality of hinge pin segments.   
     
     
         27 . The collapsible container of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the top lid comprises an upper surface, a plurality of protruding features that protrude upward from the upper surface, a handle recess that is recessed relative to the upper surface, and a deployable handle that is configured to be received in the handle recess when the deployable handle is in a non-deployed position;   the bottom lid comprises a lower surface, and a plurality of recessed features that are recessed relative to the lower surface; and   the plurality of protruding features of the top lid correspond in size, shape, and placement to the plurality of recessed features of the bottom lid.   
     
     
         28 . The collapsible container of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the top lid comprises a peripheral lip that extends downward relative to the upper surface, with the peripheral lip of the top lid laterally bounding a lower recess of the top lid;   the bottom lid comprises a peripheral lip that extends upward relative to the lower surface, with the peripheral lip of the bottom lid laterally bounding an upper recess of the bottom lid; and   when the collapsible plate assembly is in the deployed state, an upper perimeter of the collapsible plate assembly as well as the top end face are configured to be received within the lower recess of the top lid, and a lower perimeter of the collapsible plate assembly as well as the bottom end face are configured to be received within the upper recess of the bottom lid.   
     
     
         29 . The collapsible container of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the liner comprises an upper peripheral skirt that extends downward from a peripheral edge of the top end face and defines an upper skirt recess, and   the liner comprises a lower peripheral skirt that extends upward from a peripheral edge of the bottom end face and defines a lower skirt recess.   
     
     
         30 . The collapsible container of  claim 29 , wherein, when the collapsible plate assembly is in the deployed state and the liner is received within the plate assembly cavity, at least a portion of an upper perimeter of the collapsible plate assembly is received within the upper skirt recess, and at least a portion of a lower perimeter of the collapsible plate assembly is received within the lower skirt recess. 
     
     
         31 . The collapsible container of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the first and second end plates, the first and second side plates, the top lid, and the bottom lid comprise aluminum; and   the liner comprises a thermoplastic material.   
     
     
         32 . The collapsible container of  claim 22 , containing ammunition within the water-tight inner cavity. 
     
     
         33 . A method for fabricating a collapsible container according to  claim 25 , the method comprising:
 inserting the first plurality of hinge pin segments into the first plurality of hinge pin segment receivers to join the first end plate and the bottom lid;   inserting the second plurality of hinge pin segments into the second plurality of hinge pin segment receivers to join the second end plate and the top lid;   engaging the first clasp with the first clasp receiver to depress the top lid against the top end face of the liner; and   engaging the second clasp with the second clasp receiver to depress the bottom lid against the bottom end face of the liner.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising inserting the liner into the plate assembly cavity when the collapsible plate assembly is in the deployed state.