Container having an access door latching system

Abstract

A container having an interior, comprising a base and four walls. One of the walls having an opening allowing access to the interior. The one of the walls having an at least one catch along a lateral side disposed a wall intermediate location. A door having a rigid upper portion and a rigid lower portion coupled together by a first hinge at a door intermediate location which is positioned at or above the wall intermediate location. The door having at least one rigid latch extending from the upper portion to a location below the door intermediate location when the door is in an unflexed state.

Claims

1. A container having an interior to hold produce, comprising: A) a base; B) four walls, which in combination with the base define the interior, each of the walls being coupled to the base, at least one of the walls having an opening allowing access to the interior, the one of the walls having a first catch positioned at a wall intermediate location along a first lateral side of the opening; C) a door i) the door having a rigid upper portion and a rigid lower portion coupled to the upper portion by a first hinge at a door intermediate location, the door intermediate location being positioned at or above the wall intermediate location when the container is in an erected arrangement, the upper portion having an upper end and the lower portion having a lower end, ii) the door being coupled to the one of the walls by a hinge at the lower end, the door movable about the hinge at the lower end of the door from a closed position in which the door covers the opening to an open position in which the interior can be accessed through the opening, iii) the door having a first rigid latch extending from the upper portion to a location below the door intermediate location when the door is in an unflexed state and the first rigid latch aligned with the first catch so as to be received in a space defined by the first catch with an interior surface of the first catch facing an exterior-facing surface of the first latch when the door is moved to the closed position, and iv) the door having a connector to connect the upper end to the one of the walls to maintain the closed position.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein a second catch is disposed along a second lateral side of the opening that is opposite the first lateral side on which the first latch is disposed, and a second rigid latch extending from the upper portion to a location below the door intermediate location when the door is in the unflexed state and the second latch aligned with the second catch so as to be received in a second space defined by the second catch with an interior surface of the second catch facing an exterior-facing surface of the second latch when the door is moved to the closed position.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the door intermediate location is disposed at a midpoint of the door.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the four walls comprise two opposing sidewalls and two opposing endwalls.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein the opening is disposed in a sidewall.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein each of the walls is attached to the base by a corresponding at least one rotatable bearing.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the walls comprises a jam extending around at least a portion of the opening, and the door rests against the jam when the door is in the closed position.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the interior-facing surface is disposed on an outer wall of the first catch, the outer wall defining the space into which the first latch is received, and the first catch further comprises at least one of a side wall and an inner wall to further define the space.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the interior surface of the first catch has one of a convex shape and a concave shape, and the exterior-facing surface of the first latch has the other of the convex shape and the concave shape, the exterior-facing surface of the first latch being interfaced with the interior surface of the first catch.

10. The container of claim 1, wherein the first hinge is a living hinge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an example of an embodiment of a container according to aspects of the present invention in an erected configuration and a collapsed configuration, respectively;

(3) FIGS. 2A and 2B are an exterior, plan view and an interior plan view of a sidewall of the container of FIG. 1A;

(4) FIGS. 3A-3C are an interior plan view, an exterior plan view and a cross sectional, side view taken at line 3C-3C of FIG. 3B, respectively, showing further detail of a catch of the wall;

(5) FIG. 3D is a cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a catch;

(6) FIGS. 4A and 4B are a projection view of the outside of access door of the container of FIG. 1A, and a plan view of the inside of access door of the container of FIG. 1A, respectively;

(7) FIGS. 4C and 4D are an exterior view and an interior view of a portion access door of FIG. 1A showing the latch in greater detail;

(8) FIGS. 4E and 4F are an exterior view and an interior view of the access door of FIG. 4A when the access door is flexed inwardly at a living hinge located at an intermediate location;

(9) FIG. 4G is a cross sectional view of a portion of the access door of FIG. 4A showing further details of the construction of the living hinge;

(10) FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C show the access door in an open state, a partially closed state with the hinge flexed, and closed state, respectively; and

(11) FIGS. 6A-6D are cross sections of the access door and the wall of FIG. 5A-5C showing the latching process in greater detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) An example of an embodiment of a container according to aspects of the present invention is depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B as a collapsible container 10 having an interior for the storage and transport of produce. FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrated the container in an erected configuration and a collapsed configuration, respectively. Container 10 includes a base 13 that extends in a horizontal plane, and four walls (illustrated as two endwalls 11a, 11b, and two sidewalls 12a, 12b). At least one of the walls 12a includes an opening O (shown in FIG. 2A) through which access to the interior of the container is allowed. An access door 16 covers the opening when in a closed position. As described in greater detail below, wall 12a and the access door 16 together include a latching system to secure the access door to wall 12a and eliminate or decrease the likelihood of formation of catch points at the access door.

(13) A latching system may be provided with a latching sub-system in accordance with aspects of the invention on both lateral sides of the door (i.e., latching sub-system 20a and latching sub-system 20b) or can be provided with a latching sub-system in accordance with aspects of the invention on only one lateral side. Each latching sub-system comprises a latch and a catch. In the discussion below, only one latching sub-system is illustrated and described in detail, however, it will be understood that a second latching sub-system may be provided. The second latching system is typically configured and operated in a same manner as the first latching system. Typically, the second latching sub-systems is a mirror image of the first latching system, however, it is to be understood that the sub-systems may any suitable construction, for example a construction as described herein.

(14) The interior of the container 10 is primarily defined by the base 13, sidewalls 12 and endwalls 11. A handle 15 is located near the top center of each endwall 11. The base 13 and endwalls 11, sidewalls 12 interior surfaces may be flat and smooth, or contoured to reduce the likelihood of bruising the contents of the container. Because the container is designed to hold produce that may be purposely ripened while in the interior of the container, the container may have various ventilation holes 14 along its walls 12a, 12b and base 13, which allow for forced air to travel to the produce while packed in the container.

(15) The endwalls 11 and sidewalls 12 of the container may be connected to the base 13 through the use of a plurality of hinges 22 (as shown) or other movable couplings, or may be rigidly connected to the base 13. Hinges 22 permit the endwalls 11 and sidewalls 12 to be folded down toward the base 13 when the container is in the collapsed arrangement (shown in FIG. 1B), and the hinges 22 allow the endwalls 11 and sidewalls 12 to be moved to an upright position when the container is in the erected arrangement (shown in FIG. 1A). In embodiments including hinged walls, conventional corner latching systems 24 may be used to maintain the walls in the erected arrangement.

(16) Container 10 is typically molded from a plastic material, for example polypropylene. Suitable plastic materials include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polyester, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polystyrene, polycarbonate, combinations thereof and the like. The term plastic is used generically herein in its conventional manner and refers to any of the above-listed materials or other similar materials now existing or later developed. Container 10 has a construction that is designed to be strong relative to its weight. The material of the container allows it to be rigid enough to maintain its structural form when erected for storage or transportation, thereby protecting the produce it contains. At the same time, the material of the base 13, endwalls 11, and sidewalls 12 of the container 10 are flexible enough to minimize damage to the contents of the container.

(17) FIGS. 2A and 2B are an exterior, plan view of wall 12a and an interior plan view of wall 12a, respectively, each shown with the wall separated from the rest of the container. Wall 12a includes hinge portions 22a and corner latch system portions 24a, as well as opening O having catches 28.sub.1, 28.sub.2 disposed at an intermediate location M along the lateral sides of opening O. In the illustrated embodiment, wall 12a includes a first hinge component 40a formed as a bar onto which a clamp 40b (shown in FIG. 4A) of access door 16 is snapped to form an access door hinge 40.

(18) In some embodiments, as shown, a door jam 26a is present around an upper portion of the opening at a location where upper portion 16a of access door 16 (shown for example in FIG. 4A) rests against wall 12a to help prevent the door from moving into the interior of the container. In some embodiments the door jam 26a extends continuously around the upper portion of the opening, however, it may extend over a fraction of the lower portion of the opening or form discontinuous sections around opening O. A door jam 26b may also be present around a lower portion of opening O at a location where lower portion 16b of access door 16 (shown for example in FIG. 4A) rests to help prevent the door from moving into the interior of the container. In some embodiments, the door jam 26b extends continuously around the lower portion of the opening, however, it may extend over a fraction of the lower portion of the opening or form discontinuous sections around the opening. Hinge 40 operates with simple rotation about an axis (e.g., an axis in bar 40a), and lower door portion 16b does and cannot move radially away from bar 40a.

(19) In the illustrated embodiment, catch 28.sub.1 and catch 28.sub.2 (shown in greater detail in FIGS. 3A-3C) are positioned along a lateral side of opening 0, at wall intermediate location M. As described in greater detail below, the access door includes at least one latch proximate a door intermediate location, the latch to be received in a space defined, at least in part, by catch 28.sub.1.

(20) FIGS. 3A-3C are an interior plan view, an exterior plan view and a cross sectional view, respectively, showing catch 28.sub.1 in greater detail. Catch 28.sub.1 comprises an outer wall 28a. Catch 28.sub.1 defines, in part, a space S into which latch 45a (shown, for example, in FIG. 6A) is received. When access door 16 (shown in FIG. 1A) is in a closed position and the latch is properly located on the inside of outer wall 28a, outer wall 28a prevents the latch and the intermediate portion of the access door from moving in an outward direction.

(21) One or more additional walls (i.e., in addition to outer wall 28a) may be included in a catch to further define space S and limit latch movement in more directions than outward. For example, catch 28.sub.1 may further comprises a side wall 28b that further defines space S. Additionally, by sloping side wall 28b, as illustrated, the inner side wall may help to center access door 16 when the latching is occurring. The position of wall intermediate location M is defined by the uppermost location of an outer wall of the catch, over which a latch moves to enter space S.

(22) As shown in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3D, in some embodiments, an inner wall 28c may be present to prevent the latch and the intermediate portion of the wall from moving in an inward direction. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2B, optional jam interfaces 48a and 48b (shown in FIG. 4B) in combination with optional jams 26a and 26b (shown in FIG. 2A) to limit inward and outward movement of access door 16.

(23) FIG. 4A is a projection view of the outside of access door 16, and FIG. 4B is a plan view of the inside of access door 16. Access door 16 comprises upper portion 16a and lower portion 16b, a second hinge component 40b that couples the bottom of door 16 to wall 12a (shown in FIG. 1A), a second hinge 50 which couples upper portion 16a to the lower portion 16b, and a connector 42 that connects the top of access door 16 to the wall 12a, and latches 45a and 45b for coupling access door 16 to catches 28.sub.1 and 28.sub.1 of wall 12a (shown in FIG. 2A), respectively. It will be appreciated that upper portion 16a and lower portion 16b are more rigid than the portion of the wall constituting second hinge 50.

(24) As described in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 5A-5C, access door 16 is movable about a first hinge 40 (which comprises first hinge component 40a (shown in FIG. 2A) and second hinge component 40b) to an open position. In the illustrated embodiment, the second hinge component 40b is formed as a clamp that snaps over corresponding first hinge component 40a (e.g., a bar) on wall 12a. The clamp rotates about the bar in a conventional manner to achieve the open and closed position. It is to be appreciated that although a particular embodiment of a hinge is illustrated, any suitable rotational bearing may be used. Additionally, although the bar is formed on wall 12a it may also be formed on base 13.

(25) Hinge 50 is located at a door intermediate location L. Although the hinge is shown as a living hinge, the hinge may be any suitable rotational bearing configured to allow pivoting movement about intermediate location L. Latches 45a, 45b extend from the upper portion below door intermediate location L when door 16 is in an unflexed state. Location L is defined as the location of the axis about which the door and latches move when the upper portion 16a is rotated relative to lower portion 16a, and hinges 22 and 40 are maintained in a given state of rotation. As discussed in greater detail below, door intermediate location L is positioned to be at or above the wall intermediate location M when the container is in an erected arrangement. Upper portion 16a has an upper end 16.sub.UE where connector 42 is disposed. Connector 42 connects the upper end 16.sub.UE to wall 12a to maintain access door 16 in the closed position. The lower portion 16b has a lower end 16.sub.LE where door 16 is coupled to wall 12a by second hinge 40.

(26) Connector 42 can be configured as any suitable connector for maintaining door 16 in a closed position. For example, connector 42 can be configured as the latching system described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/387,285, filed Dec. 23, 2015 and titled PRODUCE SHIPPING CONTAINER the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

(27) Location L is disposed intermediate hinge component 40a and connector 42. Location L can be located anywhere between hinge component 40a and connector 42 (with the catches correspondingly located); however it is typically desirable that location L be located near the midpoint between hinge and connector so that the likelihood that a significant gap between wall 12a and door 16 is formed is relatively low. A height of access door 16 is defined as the distance between upper end 16.sub.UE and lower end 16.sub.LE. The term midpoint is defined herein to mean in a region that is greater than thirty percent of the access door height from upper end 16.sub.UE and greater than thirty percent of the access door height from lower end 16.sub.LE.

(28) FIGS. 4C and 4D are an exterior view and an interior view, respectively, of a portion of access door 16 showing latch 45b in greater detail. Latch 45b is a protrusion extending a distance D down form upper portion 16a of door 16. As indicated above, latch 45b extends for upper portion 16a below intermediate location L.

(29) In the illustrated embodiment, the latch includes an outward facing concave surface CV which interfaces with a convex surface CX of catch 28.sub.1 (shown in FIG. 3C). Latch also includes an optional raised portion 46 (extending in the outward direction from surface CV) that fits into space Q (shown in FIG. 3A) which provides lateral stability to door 16 when the door is moving to the closed position and when door 16 is in a closed, latched position. As described above, jam interfaces 48a and 48b may be provided to interface with jam 26a and 26b (shown in FIG. 2A), respectively. The shape of one embodiment of a latch is illustrated, however, a latch can have any of a variety of shapes. In other embodiments, the latch outward-facing surface may be convex and the catch inward-facing is concave.

(30) FIGS. 4E and 4F are an exterior view and an interior view of access door 16 when it is flexed inwardly about second hinge 50 at intermediate location L. FIG. 4G is a cross sectional view of a portion of access door 16 showing further detail of the construction of living hinge 50. FIG. 4G shows the narrowed portion of access door 16 that constitutes the hinge. The narrowed portion permits relative rotation of upper portion 16a and lower portion 16b about intermediate location L. Hinge 50 is constructed and operates in a convention manner. Ribs 52a and 52b are included above and below hinge 50, respectively, to localize the flexure of the hinge.

(31) FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C show door 16 in the open position, the partially closed position with the hinge flexed, and the closed position, respectively. In both FIGS. 5A and 5C, door 16 is unflexed about the intermediate location L. In FIG. 5B, door 16 is flexed to allow latches 45a and 45b to be moved to a location above catches 28.sub.1 and 28.sub.2 (also shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B for latch 45a and catch 28.sub.1). Access door 16 is movable about second hinge 50 from a closed position, in which the door covers opening O, to an open position in which the interior of the container can be accessed through the opening.

(32) Door intermediate location L is positioned to be at or above the wall intermediate location M when the container is in an erected arrangement. As shown in greater detail below in FIGS. 6A and 6B, as door 16 is rotated about hinge 40 toward a closed state, such a configuration allows a flexed state (of hinge 50) to be attained, where latches 45a and 45b are moved to a location above catches 28a and 28b such that door 16 can be rotated about first hinge 40 (shown in FIGS. 5A-5C) to a closed position. It will be appreciated that latches 45a and 4b are aligned with catches 28.sub.1 and 28.sub.2, respectively, in the horizontal direction H so that each latch is received into a space S when door 16 is moved to the closed position. When door 16 is in the closed position, connector 42 can connect access door 16 to wall 12a to maintain door 16 in a closed position.

(33) FIGS. 6A-6D are cross-sectional views of access door 16 and wall 12a showing the latching process of latching system 20 in greater detail. FIG. 6A shows access door 16 flexed about the intermediate location L such that latch 45a is raised above catch 28.sub.1, as access door 16 is rotated toward a closed position. FIG. 6B shows door 16 rotated to a position where latch 45a has cleared catch 28.sub.1 and access door 16 remains flexed about the intermediate location L. FIG. 6C shows access door 16 as the door begins to be rotated about intermediate location L toward the unflexed state. FIG. 6D shows door 16 in the unflexed state with latch 45a exterior-facing surface CV interfacing with interior surface CX of catch 28.sub.1. When in the state illustrated in FIG. 6D, door 16 is in the closed state and latch 45a is moved to its final position. Connector 42 (shown in FIG. 5C) may actuated to connect access door 16 to wall 12a. Actuation of the connector may occur as a result of the access door rotating around intermediate location L to the unflexed state or additional action may be taken to connect access door 16 to wall 12a. It is to be appreciated that, for the illustrated embodiment, all of steps 5A-6D are achieved with movement at hinge 40 that involves only rotation of lower door portion 16b (i.e., in the illustrated embodiment, lower door portion 16b is not and cannot be moved radially away from bar 40a).

(34) Modifications and changes to aspects of the invention described above should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, which modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. It also is understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered as limiting. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.