Collapsible organizer

Abstract

An organizer includes a bottom panel, side panels, a door frame, a top panel, and two door panels. The side panels and the door frame are pivotally connected to the bottom panel by a plurality of hinges and are capable of pivoting around the hinges between a use position and a collapsed position. The organizer includes improved hinges and/or latches.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A collapsible organizer comprising:
 a bottom panel;   a side panel pivotally engaged to the bottom panel via a hinge and configured to pivot about the hinge between a use position perpendicular to the bottom panel and a collapsed position parallel to the bottom panel; and   wherein the hinge comprising:
 a hinge member fixedly engaged with the side panel; and 
 a hinge receiver fixedly engaged with the bottom panel and configured to receive a hinge pin body of the hinge member; wherein the hinge pin body comprises a non-cylindrical portion which is a columnar configuration with non-uniform thickness and comprises a plurality of thicknesses including a first thickness defining a minimum thickness; wherein the hinge pin body is permitted to detach from the hinge receiver only when a direction of the first thickness is substantially parallel to the bottom panel, and when the direction of the first thickness is substantially parallel to the bottom panel, the side panel is positioned between the use position and the collapsed position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 1 , wherein when the direction of the first thickness is substantially parallel to the bottom panel and the side panel is positioned between the use position and the collapsed position, an angle between the side panel and the bottom panel is 30 to 60 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 2 , wherein when the direction of the first thickness is substantially parallel to the bottom panel and the side panel is positioned between the use position and the collapsed position, an angle between the side panel and the bottom panel is 45 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge member is integrally moulded with and extends downwardly from a lower edge of the side panel. 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge receiver has a pair of lugs, and the non-cylindrical portion is received between the lugs. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the lugs is configured to be slightly deformable. 
     
     
         7 . A collapsible organizer comprising:
 a bottom panel;   a side panel pivotally engaged to the bottom panel via a hinge and configured to pivot about the hinge between a use position perpendicular to the bottom panel and a collapsed position parallel to the bottom panel; and   wherein the hinge comprising:
 a hinge member fixedly engaged with the side panel; and 
 hinge receiver fixedly engaged with the bottom panel and configured to receive a hinge pin body of the hinge member; wherein the hinge pin body comprises a non-cylindrical portion, and a peripheral surface of the non-cylindrical portion comprises two first sides oppositely arranged as parallel planar surfaces and two second sides oppositely arranged as arcuate surfaces; wherein a perpendicular distance between the two first sides defines a minimum dimension of a thickness of the non-cylindrical portion; wherein the hinge pin body is permitted to detach from the hinge receiver only when the two first sides are substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel, and when the two first sides are substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel, the side panel is positioned between the use position and the collapsed position. 
   
     
     
         8 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 7 , wherein when the two first sides are substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel and the side panel is positioned between the use position and the collapsed position, an angle between the side panel and the bottom panel is 30 to 60 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 8 , wherein when the two first sides are substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel and the side panel is positioned between the use position and the collapsed position, an angle between the side panel and the bottom panel is 45 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 7 , wherein the peripheral surface of the non-cylindrical portion further including two third sides which are oppositely disposed and parallel planar surfaces. 
     
     
         11 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 10 , wherein a cross section of the non-cylindrical portion is configured such that widths of the first sides along a periphery of the cross section are greater than widths of the third sides along the periphery. 
     
     
         12 . An organizer comprising:
 a door frame having an opening and a straight frame member;   a door panel pivotally engaged in the opening, the door panel having a straight edge member configured to confront the frame member when the door panel is closed and move away from the frame member when the door panel is opened;   a latch assembly comprising:
 an actuator disposed on the frame member; and 
 a pin engaged with the actuator and extending from the actuator into the opening along a direction perpendicular to the frame member; 
   a slot disposed on the edge member and confronting the pin when the door panel is closed, the slot comprising:
 a first slot portion extending along a direction parallel to the edge member; and 
 a second slot portion extending along a direction perpendicular to the first slot portion and in communication with the first slot portion, the second slot portion having a slot entrance configured to receive the pin; 
   wherein the actuator is configured to actuate the pin to move selectively between a first position and a second position along a direction parallel to the frame member; and   wherein the pin is configured to enter or exit the slot along the second slot portion as the door panel rotates between open and closed when the pin is in the first position and move selectively between the first position and the second position along the first slot portion when the door panel is closed.   
     
     
         13 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 12 , wherein the pin is integrally molded with the actuator. 
     
     
         14 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 12 , wherein the slot is substantially L-shaped. 
     
     
         15 . An organizer comprising:
 a door frame having an opening and a straight frame member;   two door panels pivotally engaged in the opening, each of the two door panels having a straight edge member configured to confront the frame member when the door panel is closed and move away from the frame member when the door panel is opened;   a latch assembly comprising:
 an actuator disposed on the frame member; and 
 two pins engaged with the actuator and extending from the actuator into the opening along a direction perpendicular to the frame member; 
   two slots respectively disposed on the edge member and each of the two slots configured to confront the corresponding pin when the door panel is closed, the slot comprising:
 a first slot portion extending along a direction parallel to the edge member; and 
 a second slot portion extending along a direction perpendicular to the first slot portion and in communication with the first slot portion, the second slot portion having a slot entrance configured to receive the pin; 
   wherein the actuator is configured to actuate the two pins to move selectively between a first position and a second position along a direction parallel to the frame member; and   wherein the pin is configured to enter or exit the corresponding slot along the second slot portion as the door panel rotates between open and closed when the pin is in the first position and move selectively between the first position and the second position along the first slot portion when the door panel is closed.   
     
     
         16 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 15 , wherein the two pins is integrally molded with the actuator. 
     
     
         17 . The collapsible organizer of  claim 15 , wherein the two slots are substantially L-shaped.