Bulk bin side wall retention

Abstract

A bulk bin container having a retention clip for blocking both a first and second pin of a hinge axis element is provided. The container includes a generally rectangular base having one or more upward wall extensions along the edges of the base where each extension includes a plurality of hinge pockets for receiving a hinge axis element from the side walls. The retention clips connect to the base for blocking both the first hinge pin and the second hinge pin of the hinge axis element.

Claims

1. A collapsible bulk bin container comprising: a generally rectangular base having a first upward wall extension along a first edge of the base, the first upward wall extension having a first hinge pocket for receiving a hinge axis from a side wall; a first side wall having a first hinge axis extending from a bottom portion of the side wall, the first hinge axis having a first hinge pin extending outward in a first direction and a second hinge pin extending outward in a second direction opposing the first direction; a first removable retention clip connected to the base that blocks the first hinge pin when the first hinge axis is positioned in the first hinge pocket of the first upward wall extension, the first removable retention clip including an arm having a first end and extending to an opposing second end, the arm configured to form a portion of an outer surface of the first upward wall extension and a first blocking segment connected to the first end of the arm and extending inwardly from the outer surface of the first upward wall extension and a second blocking segment connected at the second end of the arm and extending inwardly from the outer surface of the first upward wall extension.

2. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 1 wherein the first removable retention clip blocks the second hinge pin when the first hinge axis is positioned in the first hinge pocket of the first upward wall extension.

3. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 2 wherein the arm, first blocking segment and second blocking segment of the removable retention clip form a generally C-shaped structure.

4. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 1 wherein the arm of the removable retention clip includes a flat exterior portion suitable for a label.

5. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 3 wherein the first blocking segment is a first horizontal rib extending from the first end of the removable retention clip and the second blocking segment is a second horizontal rib extending from the second end of the removable retention clip.

6. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 5 wherein the first wall extension includes a first hole along a side of the first wall extension proximate a first end of the first hinge pocket to enable the first blocking segment to extend into an interior portion of the first hinge pocket and a second hole proximate a second end of the first hinge pocket to enable the second blocking segment to extend into the interior portion of the hinge pocket.

7. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 3 wherein the removable retention clip includes a first hook extending outward from the first blocking segment for securing the removable retention clip to the first wall extension of the base.

8. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 7 wherein the removable retention clip includes a second hook extending outward from the second blocking segment.

9. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 2 wherein the first hinge pocket includes a first vertical pin groove on a first end of the first hinge pocket and a second vertical pin groove on a second end of the first hinge pocket.

10. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 9 wherein the first hinge pocket includes a first slot proximate a top portion of the first vertical pin groove and a second slot proximate a top portion of the second vertical pin groove.

11. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 1 wherein the first wall extension includes an outer groove for receiving the first retention clip, the groove having a sufficient depth so that the retention clip does not extend outward from the first wall extension.

12. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 1 wherein the removable retention clip is formed from a flexible material.

13. The collapsible container of claim 1 wherein the first blocking segment includes a first portion that extends inward from the arm when the removable retention clip is connected to the first wall extension of the base.

14. The container of claim 13 wherein the first blocking segment includes a second portion extending perpendicular to the first portion of the first blocking segment toward the second blocking segment.

15. The container of claim 2 wherein the base portion includes a second hinge pocket in the first wall extension, the first side wall includes a second hinge axis extending from a bottom portion of the side wall, the second hinge axis having a first hinge pin extending outward in the first direction and a second hinge pin extending outward in the second direction, and a second removable retention clip for blocking both the first hinge pin and the second hinge pin of the second hinge axis when the second hinge axis is positioned in the second hinge pocket of the first upward wall extension.

16. A collapsible bulk bin container comprising: a base having a first wall extension along a first side, a second wall extension along a second side, a third wall extension along a third side and a fourth wall extension along a fourth side, each of the first, second, third and fourth wall extensions having a plurality of hinge pockets; a first side wall having a plurality of hinge axes extending from a bottom portion of the first side wall, each hinge axis of the plurality of hinge axes having a molded-in first axis pin and a molded-in second axis pin; a second side wall having a plurality of hinge axes extending from a bottom portion of the second side wall, each hinge axis of the plurality of hinge axes having a molded-in first axis pin and a molded-in second axis pin; a third side wall having a plurality of hinge axes extending from a bottom portion of the third side wall, each hinge axis of the plurality of hinge axes having a molded-in first axis pin and a molded-in second axis pin; a fourth side wall having a plurality of hinge axes extending from a bottom portion of the fourth side wall, each hinge axis of the plurality of hinge axes having a molded-in first axis pin and a molded-in second axis pin; and, a plurality of removable retention clips, each removable retention clip blocking both the first hinge axis pin and the second hinge axis pin of one of the plurality of hinge axes in one of the side walls, each removable retention clip including an arm having a first end and extending to an opposing second end, the arm configured to form a portion of the outer surface of a one of the first, second, third and fourth extension walls, a first blocking segment connected to the first end of the arm and extending inward from the outer surface of the one extension wall and a second blocking segment connected at the second end of the arm and extending inwardly from the one extension wall.

17. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 16 wherein arm, first blocking segment and second blocking segment of each removable retention clip forms a generally C-shaped structure.

18. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 16 wherein the first blocking segment is a horizontal rib and the second blocking segment is a horizontal rib.

19. The collapsible bulk bin container of claim 18 wherein the arm is substantially rectangular and includes a first decorative side.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a retention clip with a side wall and base portion in accordance with the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the side wall secured to the base portion with the retention clip;

(4) FIG. 3 is a close-up perspective view of the side wall, base portion and retention clip of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pocket in the base portion for receiving a hinge of a side wall;

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a retention clip being removed from a base portion;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the retention clip in the base portion; and

(8) FIG. 7 is a close-up plan view of a molded-in hinge axis of a side wall for use with a collapsible bulk bin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) 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.

(10) The present invention provides retention structure for holding a collapsible side wall to a base of a bulk bin container without the use of a hinge rod. The structure is used for side walls having molded-in axis elements that cooperate with structure in and/or connected to the base.

(11) FIG. 1 provides a partial exploded view of a base 10 of a collapsible bulk bin, a side wall 12 and a retention clip 14 in accordance with the present invention (while the invention is described with respect to retaining a single side wall to the base, this description is applicable to each of the side walls). The base 10 has a generally rectangular bottom wall 16 (see e.g., FIG. 4), and partial walls (or wall extensions) extending upward from the side edges of the bottom wall 16. As shown in the Figure, a first wall extension 18 includes a hinge pocket 20 aligned with the retention clip 14 and a hinge axis element 22 of the side wall 12.

(12) As shown in FIG. 7, the hinge axis element 22 includes a first molded-in pin 24 and a second molded-in pin 26 that forms an axis of rotation for the side wall 12. The side wall 12 can include a plurality of similar hinge axis elements (again, while the invention is described with respect to a retention of a single hinge axis element, the description is applicable to all of the hinge axis elements for each of the side walls). Because the pins 24, 26 are part of the hinge axis element 22, a separate hinge rod is not needed. Containers with this type of hinge system are sometimes referred to as rod-less containers.

(13) The hinge axis element 22 fits into the hinge pocket 20, and the retention clip 14 connects to the wall extension 18 to block the hinge axis element 22 from disengaging from the hinge pocket 20 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The retention clip 14 includes a first blocking segment 28 for blocking the first pin 24 and a second blocking segment 30 for blocking the second pin 26. A rectangular arm 32 connects the first and second blocking segments 28, 30. The blocking segments 28, 30 are each in the form of a horizontal rib extending from the ends of the arm 32.

(14) Referring to FIG. 4, the hinge pocket 20 has an open top and is open to the interior of the base 10. The hinge pocket 20 also includes a first vertical groove 34 on one end for the first pin 24 of the hinge axis element 22, and a second vertical groove on the opposite end for the second pin 26 of the hinge axis element 22. The vertical grooves for this hinge pocket 20 are long enough to allow the hinge axis element 22 (and thus the side wall 12) to float up and down in the grooves.

(15) Associated with each groove is a slot 36 proximate the top of the groove that opens to the exterior of the wall extension 18. The slots 36 accommodate the first and second blocking segments 28, 30 of the retention clip 14.

(16) In operation, once the pins 24, 26 of the hinge axis element 22 are inserted into the grooves 34 of the hinge pocket 20, the retention clip 14 is pressed into the outer surface of the wall extension 18 with blocking segments 28, 30 passing through the slot openings 36 into the interior of the hinge pocket 20. The outer surface of the wall extension 18 can have a groove (possibly formed as a space between outwardly projecting ribs) for accommodating the arm 32 of the clip 14.

(17) As illustrated in FIG. 5, the retention clip 14 can include an outwardly extending hook or projection 38 that can be used to snap the retention clip 14 into place (a second hook can extend from the other end of the clip 14). As shown, a screwdriver 40 can be used to remove the retention clip 14 once in place. It is evident from this Figure that the retention clip 14 is preferably formed from a flexible material.

(18) As also shown in FIG. 5, once inserted through the slot 36 the blocking extension 28 extends over the groove 34 to block any pin in the groove. The blocking segment 30 is shown having a first portion 42 extending inward and a second portion 44 (at the end of the first portion distal from the arm 32) extending perpendicular (into the groove) from the first portion.

(19) As illustrated in FIG. 6, the arm of the retention clip is preferably rectangular and includes space for a label 46.

(20) 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.