Abstract
The present invention provides a container and a method of making a container, comprising: a first wall part for forming a first pair of mutual container side walls; a second wall part for forming a second pair of mutual container side walls; wherein the first wall part and the second wall part are arranged to form a first container pocket.
Claims
1. A container comprising: a first wall part forming a first pair of mutual container side walls and a first carrier section therebetween, said first pair of mutual container side walls being connected via the first carrier section; a second wall part forming a second pair of mutual container side walls and a second carrier section therebetween, said second pair of mutual container side walls being connected via the second carrier section; at least one of the first wall part and the second wall part being substantially longitudinal; the first wall part and the second wall part being arranged to form a first container pocket, the first pair of mutual container side walls and the second pair of mutual container side walls surrounding the first container pocket.
2. Container according to claim 1, wherein the first wall part for forming the first pair of mutual container side walls has a substantially U-shape and the second wall part has a substantially U-shape to form the second pair of mutual container side walls, wherein the first wall part and the second wall part intersect in the middle, so that they lie essentially in the middle of one another or the first carrier section and the second carrier section lie essentially on top of one another.
3. Container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first wall part and the second wall part or one of the first carrier section and the second carrier section forms a container bottom, wherein the other of the first wall part and second wall part or of the first carrier section and the second carrier section forms a pocket bottom of the first container pocket or a carrying strap, preferably wherein a second container pocket is formed between the pocket bottom and the container bottom or the first carrier section and the second carrier section.
4. Container according to claim 1, wherein at least the corresponding adjacent longitudinal edges of the first pair of mutual container side walls and the second pair of mutual container side walls are connected to one another, preferably by detachable connecting means, wherein at least the corresponding adjacent longitudinal edges of the first pair of mutual container side walls and the second pair of mutual container side walls are provided with corresponding zip fasteners or corresponding zip side parts of a zip fastener and connected to each other by zippers, zipper staples, and zipper side panels, respectively.
5. Container according to claim 1, wherein the first container pocket or the second container pocket or the container is formed by the first wall part and the second wall part, preferably wherein the container consists of the first wall part and the second wall part.
6. Container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first wall part and the second wall part is longitudinal and a zipper is arranged on its mutual longitudinal edges, or at least one zipper side part of a zipper is arranged, which runs along the longitudinal edges up to the first and second carrier section, respectively, and preferably traversing the one of the first wall portion and the second wall portion along the first and second carrier sections, respectively.
7. A first longitudinal wall part having end portions for forming a first pair of mutual container side walls and a central portion therebetween for forming a first carrier section of a container, wherein longitudinal edges of the longitudinal first wall part in the end portions are each provided with at least one zipper side part, which runs along the edges of an end portion to the middle section.
8. A method of forming a container comprising: providing a first wall part for forming a first pair of mutual container side walls and a first carrier section therebetween, said first pair of mutual container sidewalls being connected via said first carrier section, and a second panel member for forming a second pair of mutual container sidewalls and a second carrier section therebetween, said second pair of mutual container side walls being connected via said second carrier section, at least one of said first wall part and said second wall part being longitudinal; arranging the first wall portion and the second wall portion substantially centrally and transversely of one another; forming the first pair of mutual container side walls and the second pair of mutual container side walls by raising the exposed end edges of the first wall part and/or the second wall part, when the first wall portion and the second wall portion are superimposed and transverse to each other; joining the edges of the first pair of mutual container side walls to the corresponding adjacent edges of the second pair of mutual container side walls to form a first container pocket, so that the first pair of mutual container side walls and the second pair of mutual container side walls are erected.
9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising forming a second container pocket between the pocket bottom and the container bottom by joining the edges of the first pair of mutual container side walls to the corresponding adjacent edges of the second pair of mutual container side walls.
10. The method of claim 8, further comprising: providing at least the corresponding adjacent edges of the first pair of mutual container side walls and the second pair of mutual container side walls with zippers or corresponding connecting means or corresponding zipper staples or corresponding zipper side parts; and joining the corresponding adjacent edges of the first pair of mutual container side walls and the second pair of mutual container side walls to each other by closing zippers or corresponding zipper staples or corresponding zipper side parts.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0057] The above disclosed and further features of the current invention will be better understood with the following detailed description and drawings of the preferred embodiments of the invention.
[0058] FIG. 1a shows a preferred embodiment of a container according to the invention in an assembled state;
[0059] FIG. 1b shows the container of FIG. 1 from below;
[0060] FIG. 1c shows a top view of the container of FIG. 1;
[0061] FIG. 2a shows a further preferred embodiment of a container according to the invention;
[0062] FIG. 2b shows a further preferred embodiment of a container according to the invention;
[0063] FIG. 2c shows a further preferred embodiment of a container according to the invention from below;
[0064] FIG. 2d shows a top view of the container of FIG. 2c;
[0065] FIG. 3a shows first and second wall parts of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a disassembled state;
[0066] FIG. 3b shows alternative first and second wall parts of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a disassembled state;
[0067] FIG. 3c shows a further preferred embodiment container according to the invention assembled in an alternative way;
[0068] FIG. 4a shows first wall part of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a disassembled state;
[0069] FIG. 4b shows alternative first wall part of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a disassembled state;
[0070] FIG. 4c shows further alternative first wall part of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a disassembled state;
[0071] FIG. 5a shows second wall part of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a disassembled state;
[0072] FIG. 5b shows alternative second wall part of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a disassembled state;
[0073] FIG. 5c shows further alternative second wall part of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a disassembled state;
[0074] FIG. 6a shows a further preferred embodiment of a container according to the invention;
[0075] FIG. 6b shows first wall part of the embodiment of FIG. 6a in a disassembled state;
[0076] FIG. 6c shows another preferred embodiment of a container according to the invention;
[0077] FIG. 6d shows first wall part of the embodiment of FIG. 6c in a disassembled state.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0078] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the appended drawings. Furthermore, terms of direction, such as forward, backward, lateral, horizontal, vertical, top, bottom, upper, lower, external, internal are defined, at least in part, with respect to a container during use with the bottom portion based horizontally. However, the container according to the invention may be used in any other orientation, i.e. leaning to or based on a side, upside down etc.
[0079] FIG. 1a, 1b, 1c illustrate a preferred embodiment of a container according to the invention comprising an main compartment 55 formed by erected side walls and a multi-layered bottom portion 5 and a bottom compartment 50 formed at the bottom portion 5 adjacent to and under the main compartment 55. The container has a container body 100 comprising a first wall part 110 and a second wall part 120 that are put in U-shape in a crosswise manner to form side walls and the bottom portion 5, whereby the side walls and the bottom portion form an enclosure having an open top. The multi-layered bottom portion 5 is formed by the superposed portions of the first wall part 110 and the second wall part 120. The container body 100 is assembled by attaching: a first end portion 1 of the first wall part 110 to a first end portion 3 and a second end portion 4 of the second wall part 120; and a second end portion 2 of the first wall part 110 to the first end portion 3 and the second end portion 4 of the second wall part 120. The side walls are removably attached to each other via slide fasteners 10, 20, 30, 40 that are open-ended and separable, however the side walls may be attached also by other separable fasteners or fixedly i.e. by sewing, gluing or welding. A middle portion 5 of the second wall part 120 intersects with a middle portion 5 of the first wall part 110 such that the middle portion 5 of the second wall part 120 overlaps the middle portion 5 of the first wall part 110. The bottom compartment 50 is formed between the middle portion 5 of the first wall part 110 and the middle portion 5 of the second wall part 120. The middle portion 5 of the first wall part 110 forms a base of the container, and the middle portion 5 of the second wall part 120 forms a base of the main compartment 55. The container shown is a bag made of a flexible material, but other containers having rigid walls may also be formed accordingly. The bottom compartment comprises openings 53 at the bottom portion 5 formed by lateral edges of the first wall part 110 and the middle portion 5 of the second wall part 120, because the middle portions 5 of the first wall part 110 is not attached to the second wall part 120, at least partially. Accordingly, the bottom compartment 50 may be accessed through openings 53 externally. Top stops of the open-ended separable slide fasteners 10, 20, 30, 40 are arranged at respective free ends of the first wall part 110 and second wall part 120. Height of any side wall may be adapted by closing the respective slide fastener 10, 20, 30, 40 accordingly. Alternatively, the top stops of the slide fasteners 10, 20, 30, 40 may be arranged adjacent to the middle portions 5, 5. According to the configuration shown in FIG. 1a, which is an assembly of the first wall part 110 and second wall part 120 shown in FIGS. 3a, 4a and 5a, the main compartment 55 and the bottom compartment 50 are connected via gaps 54 between the first wall part 110 and the opposing lateral edges of the middle portion 5 of the second wall part 120, because the middle portion 5 of the second wall part 120 is not attached to the first wall part 110. Therefore, the bottom compartment 50 is also accessible internally from the main compartment 55. As shown, a width of the middle portion 5 of the first wall part 110 in a longitudinal direction of the first wall part is longer than a width of the middle portion 5 of the second wall part 120 in a transverse direction thereof. Also, the first wall part 110 is provided wider than the second wall part 120. However, the sizes of the first wall part 110 and the second wall part 120 may be adapted differently, e.g. the middle portion 5 of the second wall part 120 may be provided wider instead. One of the first wall part 110 and the second wall part 120 may be equipped with accessories such as extra carrying handles (not shown).
[0080] FIG. 3a, 4a, 5a show the first and second wall parts 110, 120 of the embodiment of FIG. 1a made of a flexible material in a disassembled state in a crosswise arrangement. The first wall part 110 comprises toothed tracks 11, 21 of slide fasteners 10, 20 at the first end portion 1 thereof at opposing lateral edges. The second wall part 120 comprises corresponding toothed tracks 12, 22 of slide fasteners 10, 20 respectively at the first end portion 3 and at the second end portion 4 thereof at a lateral edge of the first end portion 3 and at a lateral edge of the second end portion 4 along a longitudinal edge of the second wall part 120, such that the toothed tracks 11, 21 on the first wall part 110 correspond to the corresponding toothed tracks 12, 22 on the second wall part 120, when the side walls are erected by folding the first and second end portions 1, 2 of the first wall part 110, the first and second end portions 3, 4 of the second wall part 120 upwardly in the directions of the arrows shown in FIG. 3a.
[0081] Similarly, the first wall part 110 comprises toothed tracks 31, 41 of slide fasteners 30, 40 at the second end portion 2 thereof at opposing lateral edges. The second wall part 120 comprises corresponding toothed tracks 32, 42 of slide fasteners 30, 40 respectively at the first end portion 3 and at the second end portion 4 thereof at a lateral edge of the first end portion 3 and at a lateral edge of the second end portion 4 along a longitudinal edge of the second wall part 120 opposing to the longitudinal edge thereof attaching to the first wall part 110. In this embodiment, two sliders 13, 23 are provided on the toothed tracks arranged at the first wall part 110 and two sliders 33, 43 are provided on the toothed tracks arranged at the second wall part 120. The slide fasteners 10, 20, 30, 40 are open-ended separable zippers pin boxes of which are arranged adjacent to the bottom portion 5.
[0082] FIG. 3b, 4b, 5b show an alternative arrangement of the first and second wall parts 110, 120 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a disassembled state. The first wall part 110 comprises a toothed track 11 of a slide fastener 10 at the first end portion 1. The toothed track 11 begins at a corner of the first wall part 110 at the first end portion 1, runs along a lateral edge thereof, crosses the first end portion adjacent to the middle portion 5 and runs along an opposing lateral edge of the first wall part 110 to a next corner of the first wall part 110 at the first end portion 1. Hence, the toothed track 11 has a U-shape. Similarly, first wall part 110 comprises a toothed track 31 of a slide fastener 30 at the second end portion 2 having a U-shape running from a corner at the second end portion 2 to the next corner at the second end portion 2 crossing the second end portion 2 adjacent to the middle portion 5. The second wall part 120 comprises a toothed track 12 at a longitudinal lateral edge thereof corresponding to the U-shaped toothed track 11 at the first end portion 1 of the first wall part 110 and a toothed track 32 at an opposite longitudinal lateral edge thereof corresponding to the U-shaped toothed track 31 at the second end portion 2 of the first wall part 110. The slide fasteners 10, 30 are two-way open-ended separable zippers having X-form and two sliders. According to this configuration, there is no gap between the main compartment 55 and the bottom compartment 50, because the middle portion 5 of the second wall part 120 is attached to the first wall part 110.
[0083] FIG. 3c shows an alternative container of the present invention, wherein the first wall part 110 and the second wall part 120 are connected together such that the middle section 5 of the second wall part 120 is arranged over the opening of the first container pocket 55 and forms a carrying strap.
[0084] FIG. 4c, 5c show a further alternative arrangement of the first and second wall parts 110, 120 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a disassembled state, which differs from the embodiment of FIGS. 3a, 4a, 5a in that the toothed tracks 11, 21, 31, 41 provided on the first wall part 110 run from each corner of the first wall part 110 along a corresponding lateral longitudinal edge towards middle portion 5 and cross the first wall part 110 along the middle portion 5 partially.
[0085] Accordingly, corresponding toothed tracks 12, 22, 32, 42 are provided on the second wall part 120 as shown in FIG. 5c at the opposing longitudinal lateral edges thereof starting pins of which meet centrally at the middle portion 5. Also this configuration does not provide gaps between the main compartment 55 and the bottom compartment 50.
[0086] FIG. 2a shows a further preferred embodiment of a container according to the invention that is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1. The container of FIG. 2a comprises a support structure 51 having wheels 59 arranged between the middle portions 5, 5 in the bottom compartment 50. The support structure 51 supports the openings 53, and the middle portions 5, 5 to provide a rigid container base and bottom compartment 50. The support structure may comprise a pallet for transportation such as a Euro-pallet. The container comprises an access port arranged between the middle portions 5, 5 in the bottom compartment 50 accessible via the opening 53. The first wall part 110 comprises grip openings at both ends thereof. The access port extends into the bottom compartment 50. If the container is made as shown in FIG. 1a, 2a, 3a, then the access between the bottom compartment 50 and the main compartment 55 is free, wherein if the container is made as shown in FIG. 3b, then the access into the main compartment 55 is blocked. If a first wall part 110 shown in FIG. 4c is used with a second wall part 120 shown in FIG. 5c and if the top stops of the zippers are arranged adjacent to the middle portions 5, 5, then the access between the bottom compartment 50 and the main compartment 55 is openable by opening the zippers partially.
[0087] FIG. 2b shows a further preferred embodiment of a container according to the invention, wherein a first wall part 110 of FIG. 4b is folded along the middle portion such that the corresponding toothed tracks 11, 31 meet each other and are interlocked by sliding the sliders. As the toothed tracks 11, 31 are closed, the container body 100 having a bottom compartment 50 and an main compartment 55 is formed. The first wall part 110 of FIG. 4c may also be used similarly to obtain a similar container body 100 by combining toothed tracks 11, 21 of the first end portion and toothed tracks 31, 41 of the second end portion. The first wall part 110 of FIG. 4c may also be used similarly to obtain a similar container.
[0088] FIGS. 2c and 2d show bottom and top views of a further preferred embodiment of a container according to the invention respectively, which differs from other preferred embodiments, wherein the first and second wall parts 110, 120 comprise holes 56, 58, at least partially overlapping in assembled state, and a cover 57 is interposed between the middle portions 5, 5 in the bottom compartment 50 to cover the holes 56, 57. The cover 57 may be removed through the openings 53 and the holes 56, 58 provide an additional access to the container. Slit like openings may also be provided instead of the holes 56, 58. It should be pointed out that the edges of the first and second wall parts 110, 120 may be fixedly attached i.e. by sewing, gluing or welding instead of using slide fasteners.
[0089] FIGS. 6a and 6c show further embodiments of the present invention, wherein the second wall part 120 of any of the embodiments of FIGS. 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a is combined with the first wall parts 110 having trapezoidal shaped first end portions and second end portions as illustrated in FIGS. 6b and 6d respectively. The resulting containers having trapezoidal profiles are illustrated schematically in FIGS. 6a and 6c respectively.
[0090] The preferred embodiments of the invention are described above in the Drawings and Description of Preferred Embodiments. While these descriptions directly describe the above embodiments, it is understood that those skilled in the art may conceive modifications and/or variations to the specific embodiments shown and described herein. Any such modifications or variations that fall within the purview of this description are intended to be included therein as well. Unless specifically noted, it is the intention of the inventor that the words and phrases in the specification and claims be given the ordinary and accustomed meanings to those of ordinary skill in the applicable art. The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment and best mode of the invention known to the applicant at the time of filing the application has been presented and is intended for the purposes of illustration and description.
