FOLDING CONTAINER

Abstract

A foldable container includes a bottom, side walls that can be folded in, a lid, a closure element that can be moved relative to the lid, at least one first closure element mating piece, and at least one second closure element mating piece. The at least one second closure element mating piece is provided on a portion of the side walls that faces the bottom and/or on the bottom in such a way that, in a storage position of the lid, the at least one second closure element mating piece can interact in a form-fitting manner with the closure element in order to lock the lid in the storage position with the side walls folded in.

Claims

1. A foldable container, comprising: a bottom, side walls, which are hinged in a pivotally movable manner at an edge of the bottom in such a way that they can be folded in, respectively, from an erected position, in which the corresponding side wall extends upwards transversely to the bottom, into a folded-in position, in which the corresponding side wall extends at least substantially in parallel to the bottom, a lid which is configured to be placed on the side walls in their erected position in order to close the foldable container in a closed position, and to be placed on the side walls in their folded-in position so that it can be stored or stowed away in a space-saving manner in a storage position in case of an empty transport, a closure element that can be moved relative to the lid and which is provided at least partially in a portion of an edge of the lid in order to lock the lid in the closed position, at least one closure element mating piece which is provided at an edge of the side walls that faces away from the bottom in such a way at the side walls that, in the closed position of the lid, the at least one first closure element mating piece can interact in a form-fitting manner with the closure element, and at least one second closure element mating piece provided on a portion of the side walls that faces the bottom and/or on the bottom in such a way that, in the storage position of the lid, the at least one second closure element mating piece can interact in a form-fitting manner with the closure element in order to lock the lid in the storage position.

2. The foldable container according to claim 1, wherein at the edge of the lid at least one groove is provided into which at least one portion of said edge of the side walls that faces away from the bottom projects in the closed position of the lid, so that a folding-in of at least one of the side walls can be prevented in a form-fitting manner by means of the at least one groove.

3. The foldable container according to claim 1, wherein the side walls are implemented such that two mutually opposed first side walls have to be in the folded-in position so that two mutually opposed second side walls can be folded in, and for both first side walls a groove is provided respectively at the edge of the lid, into which groove at least one portion of said edge of the corresponding first side wall that faces away from the bottom projects in the closed position of the lid.

4. The foldable container according to claim 3, wherein the lid is implemented such that said portion of the edge of the lid that is provided with the closure element rests on one of the second side walls in the closed position and in the storage position of the lid.

5. The foldable container according to claim 1 wherein, at said portion of the edge of the lid that is provided with the closure element a groove is provided into which at least one portion of said edge of the corresponding second side wall that faces away from the bottom, projects in the closed position of the lid.

6. A foldable container according to claim 5, further comprising: at least one hook element which is provided in a portion of the edge of the lid which lies opposite to the portion of the edge of the lid that is provided with the closure element, at least one first hook element mating piece which is provided at said edge of the side walls that faces away from the bottom in such a way at the side walls that, in the closed position of the lid, the at least one first hook element mating piece can interact in a form-fitting manner with the hook element, and at least one second hook element mating piece which is provided on the portion of the side walls that faces the bottom and/or on the bottom in such a way that, in the storage position of the lid, the at least one second hook element mating piece can interact in a form-fitting manner with the hook element in order to lock the lid in the storage position.

7. A foldable container according to claim 6, wherein: the at least one first closure element mating part is implemented as a recess in an inner surface of the second side walls, the at least one first hook element mating piece is implemented as a recess in an outer surface of the second side walls, an edge web is provided, respectively, at portions of the edge of the bottom at which one of the two side walls, respectively, is hinged in a pivotally movable manner, the at least one second closure element mating piece is implemented as a recess in an inner surface of one of the edge webs, and the at least one second hook element mating piece is implemented as a recess in an outer surface of one of the edge webs.

8. The foldable container according to claim 7, wherein: each of the second side walls comprises at least one first closure element mating piece and at least one first hook element mating piece, and each edge web comprises at least one second closure element mating piece and at least one second hook element mating piece.

9. A foldable container according to claim 8, wherein: the at least one first closure element mating piece and the at least one first hook element mating piece of a respective second side wall are implemented together by means of a joint passage opening, and/or the at least one second closure element mating piece and the at least one second hook element mating piece of a respective edge web are implemented together by means of a joint passage opening.

10. The foldable container according to claim 1, wherein the closure element is coupled with the lid in such a way that it can be displaced relative to the lid from a locking position, in which the closure element is in engagement with the at least one first closure element mating piece in the closed position of the lid and/or in which the closure element is in engagement with the at least one second closure element mating piece in the storage position of the lid, into an open position, in which the closure element is not in engagement with the at least one first closure element mating piece in the closed position of the lid and/or in which the closure element is not in engagement with the at least one second closure element mating piece in the storage position of the lid.

11. The foldable container according to claim 1, wherein the closure element is coupled with the lid in such a way that it can be pivotally moved relative to the lid from a locking position, in which the closure element is in engagement with the at least one first closure element mating piece in the closed position of the lid and/or in which the closure element is in engagement with the at least one second closure element mating piece in the storage position of the lid, into an open position, in which the closure element is not in engagement with the at least one first closure element mating piece in the closed position of the lid and/or in which the closure element is not in engagement with the at least one second closure element mating piece in the storage position of the lid.

12. The foldable container according to claim 10, wherein the at least one closure element is implemented as a U-shaped bracket which comprises two free ends which, in the closed position of the lid and the locking position of the closure element, are respectively in engagement with a corresponding first closure element mating piece and, in the storage position of the lid and the locking position of the closure element, are respectively in engagement with a corresponding second closure element mating piece.

13. The foldable container according to claim 10, wherein: a handle is connected with the lid in such a way that the handle can be moved relative to the lid from a holding position into a retraction position, the handle, in the holding position, protrudes farther away from the lid than in the retraction position, and the handle is arranged at the at least one closure element in such a way that, in its holding position, the handle fixes or secures the at least one closure element in the locking position thereof.

14. The foldable container according to claim 13, wherein the handle and the closure element are implemented such that a shifting of the handle from the retraction position into the holding position effects a shifting of the closure element from the open position into the locking position.

15. The foldable container according to claim 13, wherein the at least one closure element is pretensioned into the open position by means of a spring element which is implemented integrally with or separately from the closure element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0032] The present invention will be described in more detail in the following by means of preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to a first embodiment of the invention with side walls in an erected position;

[0034] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container as shown in FIG. 1 without a lid;

[0035] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container as shown in FIG. 1 with the side walls in a folded-in position;

[0036] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a first side wall of the container as shown in FIG. 1;

[0037] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are perspective views of the container as shown in FIG. 1 in stacked states;

[0038] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the container as shown in FIG. 1, wherein the lid is shown in a closed position;

[0039] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the container as shown in FIG. 1, wherein the lid is shown in a storage position;

[0040] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a container according to a second embodiment of the invention with a handle in a retraction position;

[0041] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the container as shown in FIG. 8 with the handle in a holding position, and

[0042] FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the container as shown in FIG. 9.

[0043] Identical or functionally equivalent features are provided with the same reference numerals in the individual figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a container 2 having a bottom 4, two first side walls 6 and 8, two second side walls 10 and 12, a lid 14 as well as a closure element 16. In the state as shown in FIG. 1, the first side walls 6 and 8 as well as the second side walls 10 and 12 are in an erected position in which they extend perpendicularly to the bottom 4.

[0045] The bottom 4, the first side walls 6 and 8, the second side walls 10 and 12 as well as the lid 14 each have a substantially rectangular contour so that the container 2 as a whole has a substantially cuboidal contour. The first side walls 6 and 8 are hinged at short lateral edges of the bottom 4. The second side walls 10 and 12 are hinged at long lateral edges of the bottom 4. At the lateral edges of the bottom 4 at which the second side walls 10 and 12 are hinged, the bottom 4 has an edge web 18, respectively, so that the bottom 4 substantially has the form of a U-profile.

[0046] The first side walls 6 and 8 as well as the second side walls 10 and 12 are connected with the bottom 4 via hinges. In this respect, for the connection of the second side walls 10 and 12 the hinges are arranged at upper edges of the edge webs 18 in such a way that they are spaced apart farther away from an underside of the bottom 4 than the hinges for the connection of the first side walls 6 and 8. When the first side walls 6 and 8 are pivoted into a folded-in position, they substantially extend in parallel to the bottom 4. The edge webs 18 and the higher arrangement of the hinges of the second side walls 10 and 22 compared against the arrangement of the hinges of the first side walls 6 and 8 ensure that the first side walls 6 and 8, in their folded-in position, will not block a folding-in of the second side walls 10 and 12 from the erected position into a corresponding folded-in position, and that the second side walls 10 and 12, in their folded-in position, can extend above the first side walls 6 and 8 substantially in parallel to the bottom 4.

[0047] The first side walls 6 and 8 extend between the second side walls 10 and 12 in such a way that the second side walls 10 and 12 cannot be folded in when the first side walls 6 and 8 are not in a folded-in state.

[0048] The hinges of the second side walls 10 and 12 are implemented such that the second side walls 10 and 12 can only be folded inwards. In order to prevent a folding of the first side walls 6 and 8 outwards, the second side walls 10 and 12 have angles or elbows 20 at their lateral edges, respectively, which fence or enclose the first side walls 6 and 8. Thus, the second side walls substantially have the form of a U-profile (see FIG. 2).

[0049] The lid 14 can be placed on the upper edges of the side walls 6, 8, 10 and 12 when the latter are in their erected position. As thereby the lid 14 closes the container 2, the position of the lid in which the lid has been placed on the erected side walls 6, 8, 10 and 12 will be called closed position in the following.

[0050] As is shown in FIG. 3, the lid 14 can also be placed on the side walls 6, 8, 10 and 12 when the latter are in their folded-in position. As in this connection the lid 14 is particularly suited for a space-saving storage or stowing-away, the position of the lid in which it has been placed on the folded-in side walls 6, 8, 10 and 12 will be called storage position in the following.

[0051] The lid 14 is designed such that a folding-in of the first side walls 6 and 8 is prevented when the lid 14 is in its closed position. This is illustrated in FIG. 4 which is a partial sectional view along line IV-IV as shown in FIG. 1.

[0052] In FIG. 4 there is shown that the lid 14, at its underside at its edge, has an edge web 22 that extends downwards when the lid 14 is in the closed position. The edge web 22 extends along the entire periphery of the lid. In parallel to the edge web 22 there extends a rib 24 which is offset towards the inside. The rib 24 extends along the rims of the lid which are intended for being placed on the first side walls 6 and 8. Moreover, the rib 24 also extends along one of the two rims which are intended for being placed on the second side walls 10 and 12. In other words, the rib 24 extends along three of four rims of the lid 14.

[0053] Between the edge web 22 and the rib 24 there is formed a groove 26. The groove 26 is formed such that it can accommodate therein upper edges of the first side walls 6 and 8 when the lid 14 is in the closed position. Hence, in the closed position of the lid 14, the groove 26 or the rib 24 interacts in a form-fitting manner with the first side walls 6 and 8 and prevents the folding inwards of the first side walls 6 and 8.

[0054] At its underside at its edge, the lid 14 has a circumferential protrusion 27 which extends upwards when the lid 14 is in the closed position. At its underside, the bottom 4 has a groove (not shown) corresponding to the protrusion 27, which groove can accommodate the protrusion 27 of an identically constructed container or of a similar container having an identically constructed lid and an identically constructed bottom, when the container 2 is stacked upon the identically constructed container or the similar container having an identically constructed lid and an identically constructed bottom. In this connection it is irrelevant whether the side walls 6, 8, 10 and 12 are in the erected position or in the folded-in position.

[0055] FIG. 5A shows the container 2 in a state in which the side walls 6, 8, 10 and 12 are in the erected position and in which the container 2 is stacked upon containers 102 and 202 having identically constructed lids, identically constructed bottoms and respectively erected side walls.

[0056] FIG. 5B shows the container 2 in a state in which the side walls 6, 8, 10 and 12 are in the folded-in position and in which the container 2 is stacked upon identically constructed containers with respectively folded-in side walls.

[0057] In order to bring the first side walls 6 and 8 from the folded-in position into the erected position in a manner as simple as possible, and in order to be able to carry the container 2 as ergonomically as possible, the first side walls 6 and 8 each have a recessed grip 28 (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 4).

[0058] The closure element 16 is configured to lock the lid 14 in the closed position as well as also in the storage position.

[0059] FIG. 6 shows a partial sectional view along line VI-VI as shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 6 there is shown a state of the container 2 in which the closure element 16 locks the lid 14 in the closed position.

[0060] FIG. 7 shows a partial sectional view along line VII-VII as shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 7 there is shown a state of the container 2 in which the closure element 16 locks the lid 14 in the storage position.

[0061] The closure element 16 is arranged in a setback 22 of the upper side of the lid 14, said setback 22 extending up to the edge of the lid 14 or up to the rib 24. At a lateral surface directed towards the edge of the lid 14 or at a corresponding portion of the rib 24, the setback 30 comprises two openings through which, in a locking position, a section of the closure element 15, called snap-in nose 32 in the following, can project, respectively, in order to be in engagement with a corresponding first closure element mating piece 34 in the closed position of the lid 14.

[0062] The respective first closure element mating piece 34 is implemented as a slot at the upper edge of the second side walls 10 and 12 (see FIG. 2).

[0063] The setback 22 or the openings for the snap-in noses 32 and also the snap-in noses 32 themselves are designed such that, in the storage position of the lid 14, the snap-in noses 32 are in engagement with respective second closure element mating pieces 36.

[0064] The respective second closure element mating piece 36 is implemented as a slot at the upper edge of the edge webs 18 of the bottom 4 (see FIG. 1, FIG. 5A and FIG. 7).

[0065] The closure element 16 is designed as a U-shaped bracket insofar as the two snap-in noses 34 are realized respectively by a free end of the closure element 16. The closure element 16 is coupled to the lid 14 or the setback 30 of the lid 14 in such a way that it can be displaced from the locking position into a (not shown) open position. In the open position, the closure element 16 cannot be brought into engagement with the first closure element mating pieces 34 and also not with the second closure element mating pieces 36.

[0066] The closure element 16 comprises two elastically deformable portions, called spring portions 38 in the following. The spring portions 38 have two portions shaped like leaf springs, respectively, and are integrally formed with the closure element 16. Furthermore, the spring portions 38 are each designed such that, in the locking position and in the open position of the closure element 16, they support themselves against a lateral surface of the setback 30, respectively, which lateral surfaces lie opposite to the openings for the snap-in noses 32. Thus, the spring portions 38 pretension the closure element 16 into the locking position. The snap-in noses 32 are formed in a wedge-shaped manner in such a way that they have an oblique surface, respectively, at an underside which, when the lid 14 is placed on the erected side walls 6, 8, 10, and 12, will come into contact with the upper edges of the side walls 6, 8 10 and 12, and which, when the lid 14 is placed on the folded-in side walls 6, 8, 10 and 12, will come into contact with the upper edges of the edge webs 18 of the bottom 4, and said contact will cause a displacement of the closure element 16 into the open position. As soon as the lid is completely brought into the closed position or storage position, the spring portions 38 will effect an automatic shifting of the closure element 16 into the locking position.

[0067] At a rim of the lid 14 that lies opposite to the rim of the lid 14 that is provided with the closure element 16, at an inner side of the edge web 22 the lid 14 comprises two hook elements 40 projecting inwards. At said rim of the lid 14 that is provided with the hook elements 40, no rib 24 is provided. The hook elements 40 are configured and arranged such that, in the closed position of the lid 14, they are respectively in engagement with a corresponding first hook element mating piece 42, and that, in the storage position of the lid 14, they are respectively in engagement with a corresponding second hook element mating piece.

[0068] The slots at the upper edge of the second side walls 10 and 12 which form the first closure element mating pieces 34 simultaneously also form the first hook element mating pieces 42 (see FIG. 2).

[0069] The slots at the upper edge of the edge webs 18 of the bottom 4 which form the second closure element mating pieces 36 simultaneously also form the second hook element mating pieces 44 (see FIG. 1).

[0070] The snap-in noses 32 project from the inside into the corresponding first or second closure element mating piece, whereas the hook elements 40 each project from the outside into the corresponding first or second hook element mating piece 42 and 44. Accordingly, the lid 14 is designed such that, when the lid 14 is placed on the erected side walls 6, 8, 10 and 12, first of all the lid 14, with the rim that is provided with the hook elements 40, has to be positioned obliquely at an upper edge of one of the two second side walls 10 or 12, the hook elements 40 have to be hooked into the first hook element mating pieces 42, and then said rim that is provided with the closure element 16 has to be pivoted to the upper edge of the other one of the two second side walls 12 or 10. Moreover, the lid 14 is implemented such that, when the lid 14 is placed on the folded-in side walls 6, 8, 10 and 12, first of all the lid 4, with the rim that is provided with the hook elements 40, has to be positioned obliquely at an upper edge of one of the two second edge webs 18 of the bottom 4, the hook elements 40 have to be hooked into the second hook element mating pieces 42, and then said rim of the lid 14 that is provided with the closure element 16 has to be pivoted to the upper edge of the other one of the two edge webs 18 of the bottom 4.

[0071] In FIG. 8, FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 there is shown a container 302 according to a second embodiment.

[0072] The container 302 according to the second embodiment differs from the container 2 according to the first embodiment with respect to the design of the closure element. The bottom 304 and the side walls 306, 308, 310 and 312 of the container 302 are designed substantially like the bottom 4 and the side walls 6, 8, 10 and 12 of the container 2 according to the first embodiment.

[0073] A lid 314 of the container 302 is provided with two closure elements 316. Said closure elements 316 are displaceably mounted in a setback 330 at an upper side of the lid 314. Furthermore, in the setback 330 there is mounted a handle 346 in a pivotally movable manner.

[0074] The handle 346 has the form of a U-shaped bracket. The free ends of the handle 346 are respectively connected to the lid 314 via an articulation or a hinge. The handle is arranged centrally at the lid 314. To each of the two free ends there is assigned a closure element 316, respectively. Each of the two closure elements 316 extends from the corresponding free end of the handle 346 to the edge of the lid 314, respectively.

[0075] The handle 346 and the setback 330 are configured in such a way that the handle 346, in a retraction position as shown in FIG. 8, is completely accommodated in the setback 330, and, in a holding position as shown in FIG. 9, projects from the setback 330 in such a way that the handle 346 can be gripped in a simple manner.

[0076] At a side pointing to the corresponding free end of the handle 346, each closure element 316 has an interaction structure 348. At a side pointing to the corresponding closure element 316, each of the two free ends of the handle 346 has an interaction structure 350.

[0077] Each interaction structure 348 of the closure elements 316 is configured such that it interacts with a corresponding interaction structure 350 of the handle 346 in such a way that a pivoting of the handle 346 from the retraction position into the holding position causes a shifting of the respective closure element 316 from an open position into a locking position. More precisely, each interaction structure 350 of the handle 346 acts in the manner of a cam which, when the handle 346 is pivoted from the retraction position into the holding position, pushes away the respective closure element 316 and shifts said closure element 316 into the locking position.

[0078] Each of the two closure elements 316 is provided with two spring portions 338 which pretension the corresponding closure element 316 into the respective open position. Therefore, in a state without any outside influences, the handle 346 will be in the retraction position as shown in FIG. 8

[0079] FIG. 10 shows a partial sectional view along line X-X as shown in FIG. 9. In FIG. 10 there is shown that the container 302 according to the second embodiment is equipped, like the container 2 according to the first embodiment, with edge webs 318 at the bottom 304, with an edge web 322, a rib 324, a groove 324 as well as with a protrusion 327 at the lid 314, snap-in noses 330, first closure element mating pieces 334, second closure element mating pieces 336, hook elements 340 at the lid 314, first hook element mating pieces 342 as well as second hook element mating pieces 344.

[0080] The embodiments of the container according to the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 to 10 and as described above only represent two possible implementations.