Foldable enclosure

Abstract

A collapsible enclosure includes an anchor structure, a pair of side walls, and a pair of end walls. The anchor structure includes a plurality of corner pieces, and a plurality of rods. Each rod is connected between two adjacent corner pieces to form an enclosed perimeter. Each side wall is movably connected to a rod of the plurality of rods. Each end wall is movably connected to a rod of the plurality of rods between the pair of side walls. The pair of side walls and the pair of end walls move between an expanded position where each side wall of the pair of side walls is perpendicular to each end wall of the pair of end walls, to a collapsed position where the pair of side walls and the pair of end walls are stacked on top of one another.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A collapsible enclosure comprising:
 an anchor structure including,
 a plurality of corner pieces, and 
 a plurality of rods, wherein each rod is connected between two adjacent corner pieces to form an enclosed perimeter; 
   a pair of side walls, wherein each side wall is movably connected to a rod of the plurality of rods; and   a pair of end walls, wherein each end wall is movably connected to a rod of the plurality of rods between the pair of side walls;   wherein the pair of side walls and the pair of end walls move between an expanded position where each side wall of the pair of side walls is perpendicular to each end wall of the pair of end walls, to a collapsed position where the pair of side walls and the pair of end walls are stacked on top of one another.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein
 each side wall of the plurality of side walls includes a first groove;   each end wall of the plurality of end walls includes a second groove;   wherein the first groove is configured to engage the second groove in the expanded position.   
     
     
         3 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 1 , each side wall of the plurality of side walls is freely rotatable about the respective rod of the plurality of rods. 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein each side wall of the pair of side walls includes a passage configured to receive a rod of the plurality of rods. 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 4 , wherein the passage is at least partially exposed and the rod is configured to be viewed while received in the passage. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein each corner piece of the plurality of corner pieces includes a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is configured to receive a rod of the plurality of rods and the second opening is configured to receive a fastener to retain the rod in the first opening. 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 6 , wherein the first opening is concentric with the second opening. 
     
     
         8 . A collapsible enclosure comprising:
 an anchor structure including,
 a corner piece, 
 a first rod extending from the corner piece in a first direction, and 
 a second rod extending from corner piece in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; 
   a side wall movably connected to the first rod; and   an end wall movably connected to the second rod;   wherein side wall and the end wall move between an expanded position where a corner of the side wall engages a corner of the end wall, and a collapsed position where the side wall is parallel to the end wall.   
     
     
         9 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 8 , wherein the first rod is offset from the second rod. 
     
     
         10 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 8 , wherein the corner piece includes,
 a first opening configured to receive the first rod;   a second opening configured to receive the second rod;   a third opening that extends into the first opening and is configured to receive a first fastener for securing the first rod; and   a fourth opening that extends into the second opening and is configured to receive a second fastener for securing the second rod.   
     
     
         11 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 10 , wherein the first opening is oriented perpendicularly to the third opening. 
     
     
         12 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 10 , wherein the first opening and the third opening are concentric. 
     
     
         13 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 8, 12 , wherein
 the side wall includes a first groove;   the end wall includes a second groove;   wherein the first groove is configured to engage the second groove in the expanded position.   
     
     
         14 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 8 , the side wall is freely rotatable about the first rod. 
     
     
         15 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 8 , wherein the side wall includes a passage configured to receive the first rod. 
     
     
         16 . The collapsible enclosure of  claim 15 , wherein the passage is at least partially exposed and the first rod is configured to be viewed while received in the passage. 
     
     
         17 . A method of collapsing an enclosure, the method comprising:
 rotating a first side wall in a first rotational direction away from a first end wall and a second end wall;   rotating a second side wall in a second rotational direction away from the first end wall and the second end wall, wherein the first rotational direction is opposite to the second rotational direction;   rotating the first end wall about 90 degrees in a third rotational direction perpendicular to the first rotational direction;   rotating the second end wall about 90 degrees in a fourth rotational direction opposite to the third rotational direction so that the first end wall and the second end wall is on top of the first end wall;   continuing to rotate the first side wall in the first rotational direction to contact a surface of the second end wall; and   continuing to rotate the second side wall in the second rotational direction to contact a surface of the first side wall.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising disconnecting a first groove of the first side wall from a second groove of the first end wall before rotating the first side wall in the first rotational direction. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a first corner piece is disposed between first side wall and the first end wall, and wherein the first side wall and the first end wall each rotate relative to the first corner piece. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a first rod extends from the first corner piece in a first direction and a second rod extends from the first corner piece in a second direction, wherein the first side wall is rotatable about the first rod and the first end wall is rotatable about the second rod, and wherein the first side wall includes a first passage configured to receive the first rod. 
     
     
         21 .- 37 . (canceled)