A collapsible container which can be used for a number of purposes. The container can be deployed as a fire pit, as a trash bin, as a planter, or for many other purposes generally suited to containers. The primary function of the invention is to be selectively deployable and collapsible such that it can be taken inside to avoid inclement weather and general deterioration from being stored outdoors. The container is formed from several interlocking pieces or “petals” which fan out from a stored orientation into a deployed orientation forming a container having a container wall surrounding a container base. A central plate can be placed atop the container base to further secure the container in the deployed orientation.

A collapsible and assemblable container for sterilization, including but not limited to UV sterilization, of objected placed in the container. The container includes moveable panels with an electronic circuit board including one or more actuating elements such as UV LEDs. The electronic circuit board further includes sensors that prohibit the actuating elements from being activated unless the collapsible container is fully and correctly deployed, preventing any harmful exposure to the actuating elements that can lead to eye damage, skin cancer, etc. to the user. The electronic circuit board cooperates with switch elements that activate the actuating elements only when the collapsible container is fully and correctly deployed.

A receptacle has an outer housing with an aperture and an internal frame sized and configured to fit within the outer housing. A telescoping assembly is configured to associate with the aperture such that the receptacle may be placed in a first position or a second position, the internal volume of the receptacle being greater in the second position than the first. A second receptacle is formed from an inner portion and an outer portion offset by a stepped portion. The stepped portion forms a collar rest edge at a first height and a collar rest platform at a second height greater than the first height. A collar has a base and is adapted to fit over the inner portion such that the base may rest on the collar rest edge in a first position or the collar rest platform in a second position increasing the internal volume.

The present invention is directed to a sewing basket for storing thread, pins, needles, scissors, buttons, snaps, measuring tapes, and other sewing tools and accessories. The present invention is further directed to a novel method of collapsing the size of the sewing basket for shipping, storage, and other purposes. The sewing basket of this invention includes a base, an upper frame and a collapsible side walls connecting the base and the upper frame. The basket may switch from a collapsed position with the side walls collapsed bringing the upper frame in proximity to the base and an extended position where the side walls are maintained in an extended position with a support.

A basket for lining an ice chest includes four flexible walls configured to roll up, a bottom, and at least two handles. At least one wall includes perforations configured to allow water or ice to pass through the perforations. The four flexible walls are made of silicone, rubber, elastic, or any combination thereof.

A case comprising a first housing, a second housing attached to the first housing, a liner on the inside of the first housing and/or second housing, and a strap attached to the first housing and/or second housing, the strap being constructed and arranged to secure footwear.

A collapsible container comprises a bottom plate, a first ring, a second ring, a spring, a cladding layer, and at least two fastening parts. The first ring is disposed around the bottom plate. The caliber of the second ring is smaller than that of the first ring. The two ends of the spring are respectively connected to the first ring and the second ring to maintain a distance between the first ring and the second ring. When the spring is compressed, the second ring can be moved and be stored in an inner side of the first ring. The cladding layer clads the bottom plate, the first ring, the second ring and the spring. The fastening parts are disposed symmetrically on an outer side of the first ring for fastening the second ring when the second ring is moved to the inside of the first ring.

Method for packing harvested berries directly into clamshell packages during hand harvesting by a harvester. The harvester utilizes a new open-topped harvesting apparatus that has a plurality of bottom assemblies for supporting a shipping tray that contains a plurality of clamshell packages. The open-topped harvesting apparatus further includes a plurality of front and rear end wall assemblies affixed perpendicular to the bottom assembly. A first side wall assembly is affixed perpendicular to the bottom assemblies and affixed to the plurality of end wall assemblies. A second side wall assembly is affixed perpendicular to the bottom assemblies and affixed to the end wall assemblies. The second side wall has two belt notch-like loops for allowing the carrier to be secured on a harvester's belt; and the second side wall further including an arch-shaped side supporter for maintaining the bottom assemblies substantially horizontal to the ground when worn by the harvester.

The invention features a cooking apparatus having a number of compartments for the cooking of different foods under different cooking conditions. Aspects of embodiments of the contemplated invention include a lid portion, an upper portion that is vertically retractable and removably engaged with a bottom portion. The cooking apparatus is modular and, as such, enables the use of multiple cooking apparatuses for the steaming and/or boiling of different foods within the same pot or cooking unit at the same time.

A box which is expandable vertically and horizontally is disclosed. The box can be expanded both vertically and horizontally simultaneously, or in only one of these directions. This is accomplished by pulling/pushing opposite sides further/closer to each other. Rails which at least partially extend between respective opposite sides allow such an expansion/or contraction, the rails, in embodiments, having a pin of one section of the box held within a slot of an adjacent section of the box. The box, in embodiments, is made up of four separate pieces, each being one quadrant (top & left, top & right, bottom & left, bottom & right) of the box. Such a box can be expanded/collapsed to fit within a window and hold an air conditioner there-in.