Collapsible containers including swivel hinge corner assembly and access door assembly

Claim 2

A collapsible container comprising: a pair of rectangular side panels and a pair of rectangular end panels each side panel and end panel having planar exterior and interior surfaces with the edges of said side panels being located adjacent to the edges of said end panels to provide the corners of the collapsible container; a plurality of horizontal side panel cleats mounted on the exterior surface of each side panel, extending toward the edges of each side panel; a plurality of horizontal end panel cleats mounted on the exterior surface of each end panel, extending toward the edges of each end panel, said end panel cleats being aligned with said side panel cleats; and a plurality of swivel hinge corner assemblies located at each corner of the collapsible container for connecting adjacent side panels and end panels, each corner assembly comprising a first corner plate having a flat body secured to a side panel cleat and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the adjacent end panel, a second corner plate having a flat body secured to an end panel cleat and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the adjacent side panel and overlapping the prong of said first corner plate, and pivot means spaced laterally from the edges of said flat bodies for pivotally connecting said prongs of said corner plates to permit said side panels and end panels of the container to collapse; each of said side paneLs having its edges cutaway at positions adjacent to said side panel cleats for receiving the prongs projecting from the first corner plates mounted on said side panel cleats; and each of said end panels having its edges cutaway at positions adjacent to said end panel cleats for receiving the prongs projecting from the second corner plates mounted on said end panel cleats.

Claim 3

The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein said pivot means is located at the intersection of the planes of the interior surfaces of the adjacent side panel and end panel.

Claim 4

The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein: said prongs of said first and second corner plates have openings formed therein and spaced laterally from the edges of said corner plates; and said pivot means comprises a hinge pin inserted into said openings to pivotally connect said first and second corner plates to permit said corner plates to pivot about said hinge pin to collapse said side panels and end panels of the container.

Claim 5

The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein: said prongs of said first and second corner plates are parallel to the flat bodies of said corner plates and offset by one-half of the thickness of said corner plates to permit the flat bodies of said corner plates to be co-planar.

Claim 6

A collapsible container comprising: a pair of rectangular side panels and a pair of rectangular end panels each side panel and end panel having planar exterior and interior surfaces with the edges of said side panels being located adjacent to the edges of said end panels to provide the corners of the collapsible container; a plurality of horizontal side panel cleats mounted on the exterior surface of each side panel, extending toward the edges of each side panel; a plurality of horizontal end panel cleats mounted on the exterior surface of each end panel, extending toward the edges of each end panel, said end panel cleats being aligned with said side panel cleats; and a plurality of swivel hinge corner assemblies located at each corner of the collapsible container for connecting adjacent side panels and end panels, each corner assembly comprising a first corner plate having a flat body secured to a side panel cleat and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the adjacent end panel, a second corner plate having a flat body secured to an end panel cleat and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the adjacent side panel and overlapping the prong of said first corner plate, and pivot means spaced laterally from the edges of said flat bodies for pivotally connecting said prongs of said corner plates to permit said side panels and end panels of the container to collapse; each side panel including a plurality of notches formed at opposite edges of said side panel and located adjacent to said side panel cleats for receiving the prongs projecting from the first corner plates mounted on said cleats; and each end panel including a plurality of notches formed at opposite edges of said end panel and located adjacent to said end panel cleats for receiving the prongs projecting from the second corner plates mounted on said cleats.

Claim 7

A collapsible container comprising: a pair of rectangular side panels and a pair of rectangular end panels each side panel and end panel having planar exterior and interior surfaces with the edges of said side panels being located adjacent to the edges of said end panels to provide the corners of the collapsible container; a plurality of horizontal side panel cleats mounted on the exterior surface of each side panel, extending toward the edges of each side panel; a plurality of horizontal end panel cleats mounted on the exterior surface of each end panel, extending toward the edges of each end panel, said end panel cleats being aligned with said side panel cleats; and a plurality of swivel hinge corner assemblies located at each corner of the collapsible container for connecting adjacent side panels and end panels, each corner assembly comprising a first corner plate having a flat body secured to a side panel cleat and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the adjacent end panel, a second corner plate having a flat body secured to an end panel cleat and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the adjacent side panel and overlapping the prong of said first corner plate, and pivot means spaced laterally from the edges of said flat bodies for pivotally connecting said prongs of said corner plates to permit said side panels and end panels of the container to collapse; each side panel including a plurality of notches formed at opposite edges of said side panel and located adjacent to said side panel cleats for receiving the prongs projecting from the first corner plates mounted on said cleats; and each end panel including a plurality of notches formed at opposite edges of said end panel and located adjacent to said end panel cleats for receiving the prongs projecting from the second corner plates mounted on said cleats.

Claim 8

The collapsible container of claim 5, wherein: each of said side panel cleats is a horizontal strip of rectangular cross section extending completely across the side panels; and each of said end panel cleats is a horizontal strip of rectangular cross section extending completely across the end panels.

Claim 9

The collapsible container of claim 6, wherein the flat bodies of said corner plates are secured to lower surfaces of the horizontal strips mounted on said side panels and end panels.

Claim 10

A collapsible container, comprising: a pair of rectangular side panels and a pair of rectangular end panels, said side panels and said end panels having planar exterior surfaces and planar interior surfaces with each vertical edge of the interior surface of said side panEls abutting a vertical edge of the interior surface of one of said end panels to provide the corners of the collapsible container; a plurality of horizontal side panel cleats mounted on the exterior surface of each side panel, extending toward the edges of each side panel; a plurality of horizontal end panel cleats mounted on the exterior surface of each end panel, extending toward the edges of each end panel, said end panel cleats being vertically aligned with said side panel cleats; and a plurality of swivel hinge corner assemblies located at each corner of the collapsible container for connecting an adjacent side panel and end panel, each corner assembly comprising a first corner plate having a flat body secured to a horizontal surface of a side panel cleat and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the adjacent end panel, said edge of said first corner plate being in abutting relation to the side panel, a second corner plate having a flat body secured to a horizontal surface of an end panel and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the adjacent side panel and overlapping the prong of said first corner plate, said edge of said second corner plate being in abutting relation to the end panel, and pivot means spaced laterally from the edges of said flat bodies and located at the vertex defined by the intersection of the planes of the interior surfaces of the adjacent side panel and end panel for pivotally connecting said prongs of said corner plates to permit said side panels and end panels of the container to collapse; each side panel including a plurality of notches formed at opposite edges of said side panel and located adjacent to said side panel cleats for receiving the prongs projecting from the first corner plates mounted on said cleats; and each end panel including a plurality of notches formed at opposite edges of said end panel and located adjacent to said end panel cleats for receiving the prongs projecting from the second corner plates mounted on said cleats.

Claim 11

A collapsible container, comprising: a pair of rectangular side panels and a pair of rectangular end panels, said side panels and said end panels having planar exterior surfaces and planar interior surfaces with each vertical edge of the interior surface of said side panEls abutting a vertical edge of the interior surface of one of said end panels to provide the corners of the collapsible container; a plurality of horizontal side panel cleats mounted on the exterior surface of each side panel, extending toward the edges of each side panel; a plurality of horizontal end panel cleats mounted on the exterior surface of each end panel, extending toward the edges of each end panel, said end panel cleats being vertically aligned with said side panel cleats; and a plurality of swivel hinge corner assemblies located at each corner of the collapsible container for connecting an adjacent side panel and end panel, each corner assembly comprising a first corner plate having a flat body secured to a horizontal surface of a side panel cleat and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the adjacent end panel, said edge of said first corner plate being in abutting relation to the side panel, a second corner plate having a flat body secured to a horizontal surface of an end panel and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the adjacent side panel and overlapping the prong of said first corner plate, said edge of said second corner plate being in abutting relation to the end panel, and pivot means spaced laterally from the edges of said flat bodies and located at the vertex defined by the intersection of the planes of the interior surfaces of the adjacent side panel and end panel for pivotally connecting said prongs of said corner plates to permit said side panels and end panels of the container to collapse; each side panel including a plurality of notches formed at opposite edges of said side panel and located adjacent to said side panel cleats for receiving the prongs projecting from the first corner plates mounted on said cleats; and each end panel including a plurality of notches formed at opposite edges of said end panel and located adjacent to said end panel cleats for receiving the prongs projecting from the second corner plates mounted on said cleats.

Claim 12

The collapsible container of claim 8, wherein: said prongs of said first and second corner plates have openings formed therein and spaced laterally from the edges of said corner plates to be located at the vertex defined by the intersection of the planes of the interior surfaces of adjacent side panels and end panels; and said pivot means comprises a hinge pin inserted into said openings to pivotally connect said first and second corner plates to permit the corner plates to pivot about said hinge pin to collapse said side panels and end panels of the container.

Claim 13

In a collapsible container having a pair of side panels and a pair of end panels pivotally connected at the edges of the panels to permit the container to be collapsed, the combination of: a door having an upper edge and a lower edge extending horizontally across one of said panels; hinge means for connecting the lower edge of said door to said panel to permit said door to be pivoted outward to an open position relative to the container; and a pair of access door assemblies located at the corners of the container adjacent to the upper edge of said door for pivotally connecting said door to adjacent sides of the container and permitting said door to be unlatched from the adjacent sides, each access door assembly comprising a first corner plate having a flat body secured to one of the panels located adjacent to said door and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the door, a second corner plate having a flat body secured to said door and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward one of the adjacent panels and overlapping the prong of said first corner plate, and spring-biased pivot means spaced laterally from the edges of the flat bodies of said first and second corner plates for releasably engaging said prongs of said corner plates to pivotally conNect said prongs and permit the sides of the container to collapse.

Claim 14

In a collapsible container having a pair of side panels and a pair of end panels pivotally connected at the edges of the panels to permit the container to be collapsed, the combination of: a door having an upper edge and a lower edge extending horizontally across one of said panels; hinge means for connecting the lower edge of said door to said panel to permit said door to be pivoted outward to an open position relative to the container; and a pair of access door assemblies located at the corners of the container adjacent to the upper edge of said door for pivotally connecting said door to adjacent sides of the container and permitting said door to be unlatched from the adjacent sides, each access door assembly comprising a first corner plate having a flat body secured to one of the panels located adjacent to said door and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the door, a second corner plate having a flat body secured to said door and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward one of the adjacent panels and overlapping the prong of said first corner plate, and spring-biased pivot means spaced laterally from the edges of the flat bodies of said first and second corner plates for releasably engaging said prongs of said corner plates to pivotally conNect said prongs and permit the sides of the container to collapse.

Claim 15

The collapsible container of claim 10, wherein: said prongs of said first and second corner plates have openings formed therein and spaced laterally from the edges of the flat bodies of said corner plates; and said spring-biased pivot means comprises a spring catch located adjacent to one of said corner plates including a cantilevered spring arm extending toward the prongs of said corner plates and a finger projecting from said cantilevered spring arm for normally engaging said openings formed in said prongs of said corner plates.

Claim 16

The collapsible container of claim 11, wherein said cantilevered spring arm includes a bend extending away from said prongs of said corner plates to permit said finger to be disengaged from said openings by pressing on said bend.

Claim 17

The collapsible container of claim 11, wherein: said prongs of said first and second corner plates are parallel to the flat bodies of said corner plates and offset by one-half of the thickness of said corner plates to permit the flat bodies of said corner plates to be co-planar.

Claim 18

In a collapsible container having a pair of side panels and a pair of end panels pivotally connected at the edges of the panels to permit the container to be collapsed, the combination of: a door having an upper edge and a lower edge extending horizontally across one of said panels; hinge means for connecting the lower edge of said door to said panel to permit said door to be pivoted outward to an open position relative to the container; and a pair of access door assemblies located at the corners of the container adjacent to the upper edge of said door for pivotally connecting said door to adjacent sides of the container and permitting said door to be unlatched from the adjacent sides, each access door assembly comprising a first corner plate having a flat body secured to one of the panels located adjacent to said door and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the door, a second corner plate having a flat body secured to said door and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward one of the adjacent panels and overlapping the prong of said first corner plate, and releasable pivot means spaced laterally from the edges of the flat bodies of said first and second corner plates for releasably engaging said prongs of said corner plates to pivotally connect said prongs and to permit the sides of the container to collapse upon release of said pivot means.

Claim 19

In a collapsible container having a pair of side panels and a pair of end panels pivotally connected at the edges of the panels to permit the container to be collapsed, the combination of: a door having an upper edge and a lower edge extending horizontally across one of said panels; hinge means for connecting the lower edge of said door to said panel to permit said door to be pivoted outward to an open position relative to the container; and a pair of access door assemblies located at the corners of the container adjacent to the upper edge of said door for pivotally connecting said door to adjacent sides of the container and permitting said door to be unlatched from the adjacent sides, each access door assembly comprising a first corner plate having a flat body secured to one of the panels located adjacent to said door and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward the door, a second corner plate having a flat body secured to said door and a prong projecting laterally from one edge of said flat body toward one of the adjacent panels and overlapping the prong of said first corner plate, and releasable pivot means spaced laterally from the edges of the flat bodies of said first and second corner plates for releasably engaging said prongs of said corner plates to pivotally connect said prongs and to permit the sides of the container to collapse upon release of said pivot means.

Claim 20

The collapsible container of claim 14, wherein: said prongs of said first and second corner plates have openings formed therein and spaced laterally from the edges of the flat bodies of said corner plates for receiving said releasable pivot means.