FLEXIBLE EXTENDED-LENGTH BULK BIN

Abstract

The invention is directed to a flexible and collapsible extended-length bulk bin. The bulk bin includes two molded plastic end pieces that are connected at each side to each by metal rails. A bottom panel and two side wall panels are also positioned between the two molded plastic end pieces.

Claims

1. A flexible extended-length bulk bin comprising: a first plastic molded end piece; a second plastic molded end piece; a first rail extending from a first side of the first plastic molded end piece to the first side of the second plastic molded end piece; a second rail extend from a second side of the first plastic molded end piece to the second side of the second plastic molded end piece; and a first bottom panel extending between the first rail and the second rail.

2. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 1 wherein the first rail and the second rail are metal.

3. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 2 further comprising: a first cross brace extending between the first rail and the second rail; and, a second cross brace extending between the first rail and the second rail spaced from the first cross brace.

4. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 3 further comprising: a second bottom panel extending between the first rail and the second rail; and, a third bottom panel extending between the first rail and the second rail.

5. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 1 wherein the first bottom panel is plastic.

6. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 1 wherein the first bottom panel is a wire mesh.

7. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 1 wherein the first plastic molded end piece includes an access door.

8. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 7 wherein the second plastic molded piece includes an access door.

9. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 1 further comprising a first side panel extending upward from the first rail between the first plastic molded end piece and the second molded end piece.

10. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 9 further comprising a second side panel extending upward from the second rail between the first plastic molded end piece and the second molded end piece.

11. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 10 wherein the first side panel includes a solid plastic sheet.

12. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 1 wherein the first side panel includes a wire mesh.

13. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 1 wherein the first plastic molded piece includes a plurality of downwardly extending feet.

14. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 13 wherein the first plastic molded piece includes a runner extending between the feet.

15. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 1 wherein the first plastic molded piece includes a metal sheet extending between the feet.

16. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 10 wherein the first plastic molded piece includes a first side wall segment on the first side and a second side wall segment on the second side, and the second plastic molded piece includes a first side wall segment on the first side and a second side wall segment on the second side.

17. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 16 wherein the first side wall segment of the first plastic molded end piece is hingedly attached to the first plastic molded end piece and the second side wall segment of the first plastic molded end piece is hingedly attached to the first plastic molded piece, and the first side wall segment of the second plastic molded end piece is hingedly attached to the second plastic molded end piece and the second side wall segment of the second plastic molded end piece is hingedly attached to the second plastic molded end piece.

18. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 1 wherein the first plastic molded end piece is identical to the second molded plastic end piece.

19. A flexible extended-length bulk bin comprising: a first plastic bulk bin end piece having a bottom segment, an end wall extending upward from the bottom segment, a first side wall segment hingedly connected to and extending upward from a first side of the bottom segment, a second side wall segment hingedly connected to and extending upward from a second side of the bottom segment; a second plastic bulk bin end piece having a bottom segment, an end wall extending upward from the bottom segment, a first side wall segment hingedly connected to and extending upward from a first side of the bottom segment, a second side wall segment hingedly connected to and extending upward from a second side of the bottom segment; a first metal rail extending from the first side of the bottom segment of the first plastic bulk bin end piece to the first side of the bottom segment of the second bulk bin end piece; a second metal rail extending from the second side of the bottom segment of the first plastic bulk bin end piece to the second side of the bottom segment of the second bulk bin end piece; a first bottom panel extending between the first metal rail and the second metal rail; a first side wall panel extending between the first side wall segment of the first plastic bulk bin end piece and the first side wall segment of the second plastic bulk bin end piece; and, a second side wall panel extending between the second side wall segment of the first plastic bulk bin end piece and the second side wall segment of the second plastic bulk bin end piece.

20. The flexible extended-length bulk bin of claim 19 wherein the end wall of the first plastic bulk bin end piece includes a hinged access door.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stack of erected extended length bulk bins in accordance with the present invention;

[0025] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a stack of collapsed extended length bulk bins in accordance with the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a base portion of an extended length bulk bin in accordance with the present invention;

[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bottom of the base portion of FIG. 3;

[0028] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a plastic bulk bin end piece for use in an extended length bulk bin;

[0029] FIG. 6 is a partially exploded view of a side wall panel for use in an extended length bulk bin;

[0030] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of welded plastic panels for use in one aspect of the side wall panel;

[0031] FIG. 8 is a view of a wire mesh for use in another aspect of the side wall panel;

[0032] FIG. 9 is a honeycomb panel for use in another aspect of the side wall panel;

[0033] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of three extended length bulk bins of various sizes in accordance with the present invention;

[0034] FIG. 11 is a lower perspective view of an extended-length bulk bin in accordance with the present invention;

[0035] FIG. 12 is a side perspective view of the bin of FIG. 11;

[0036] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of the bin of FIG. 11;

[0037] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a portion of the bin of FIG. 11 missing one of the ends and a side panel;

[0038] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the second end of the bin of FIG. 11; and,

[0039] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the second end of FIG. 15 without the side panel segments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

[0041] The present invention is directed to an extended-length container that is longer than standard sized bulk bins typically used in the industry. The extended-length container includes a first end piece and a second end piece that are designed as end portions of the typical standard bulk bin, and an intermediate section of having bottom and side wall panels. The intermediate section of the container can be different lengths (i.e., each creating a container having a longer than typical length of the standard bulk bins) to accommodate oversized products that require shipping. The side walls and end walls of the container can be designed to be collapsible.

[0042] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a stack of extended-length containers 10 in a set-up or erected configuration is shown in FIG. 1. A similar stack of containers 10—in a collapsed configuration—is shown in FIG. 2.

[0043] As visible in FIGS. 1 and 2, each container 10 includes a first plastic bulk bin portion end piece 12 and a second plastic bulk bin portion end piece 14. The first and second end pieces 12, 14 can be identical. A metal rail 16 and a side wall panel 18 are shown extending between the first end piece 12 and the second end piece 14—giving the container an extended length greater than standard bulk bin lengths. The side wall panel 18 and portions of the end pieces 12, 14 are not visible in the collapsed configuration of FIG. 2.

[0044] Referring to FIGS. 3-5, each end piece 12, 14 includes a base portion 20. The base portion 20 includes a plurality of downwardly extending legs 22. Additionally, a runner 24 can extend along the bottom of the legs 22 defining two openings 26 that can be used for forklift tines. The base portion 20 also includes a bottom wall segment 28 and structure for supporting an end wall and side wall segments discussed in more detail below.

[0045] A first metal rail 16 extends from a first side of one base portion 20 to a first side of the other base portion 20. Similarly, a second metal rail 16 extends between a second side of the base portions 20. One or more cross braces 30 can extend between the first metal rail 16 and the second metal rail 16 (the embodiment of FIG. 3 shows two cross braces 30 spaced from each other).

[0046] The metal rails 16 can have L-shaped cross sectional shapes (or other similar structure) to support one or more bottom panels 32. The bottom panels 32 can be plastic structures, wire mesh or other similar materials. The bottom panels 32 along with the bottom segments 28 of the base portions 20 of the end pieces 12, 14 form a bottom wall for the container 10.

[0047] One of the end pieces 12, 14 is shown in FIG. 5. Each end piece can be identical (which reduces molding costs) and comprises five structural foam molded parts along with a plurality of latch elements and hinge elements. The end piece 12, 14 includes the base 20 discussed with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4, an end wall 34, a first side wall segment 36 on the first side of the end wall 34, a second side wall segment 38 at the second side of the end wall 34 and an access door 40 in the end wall 34. Each of the end wall 34, first side wall segment 36 and second side wall segment 38 are connected to the base portion 20 by conventional bulk bin hinges 42. Similarly, the access door 40 is connected to the end door 34 by hinges 42. The side wall segments 36, 38 and the access door 40 are held in place to the end wall 34 by conventional bulk bin latches 44.

[0048] As is evident in FIG. 5, the bulk bin end piece 12 or 14 includes a plurality of outwardly extending ribs 46. While specifically molded to the size and shape shown in FIG. 5, the bulk bin end piece 12 or 14 looks as if it were a portion of a bulk bin that was cut from an actual full size bulk bin. Additionally, instead of or in addition to a plastic molded runner 24, sheet plates 60 can be connected to the feet 22 to improve durability.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 6, a first side wall segment 36 of a first bulk bin end piece (the rest of the end piece is not shown here) and a first side wall segment of a second bulk bin end piece (again, not shown here) are connected proximate a bottom portion to first end of a metal plate 46 and a second end of the metal plate 46, respectively. A side wall panel 48 is then hingedly connected to the metal plate 46 by hinges 50 (this allows for access via the long side walls of the container 10). The side wall panel 46 includes a central plastic sheet 51 having an outer rectangular frame 52. Other materials, such as a wire mesh, can replace the plastic sheet.

[0050] FIGS. 7-9 show various materials that can be used for the bottom panels 32 and/or the side panels 46. FIG. 7 shows a hot plate welded plastic sheet 54 having two outer layers separated by ribs. FIG. 8 shows a wire mesh 56, and FIG. 9 shows a honeycomb panel 58.

[0051] The metal rails 16 and plates 46 can be formed from an extruded aluminum, or can be rolled formed parts or pressed-brake parts.

[0052] FIG. 10 shows three extended-length bulk containers 10, 10′ and 10″ in accordance with the present invention of various lengths.

[0053] FIGS. 11-16 show additional views of the extended-length bulk bin 10. FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 show portions of the bin 10 without some of the other structures.

[0054] Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be protected otherwise than as specifically described.