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US4397398A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Compact collapsible containers

Assignee: TOKYO PET CAGE Co Ltd A CORP OF JAPAN
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Filing: 1981-10-19
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Granted: 1983-08-09
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Expires: 2001-10-19
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Abstract

Abstract Compact collapsible containers wherein front and rear end plates having a semi-circular upper half and flexible right and left side plates having transverse grooves and long slots over the middle and upper parts, are hinged to a bottom box via flexible fold parts, wherein the front and the rear ends of the side plates are adapted to be fitted into grooves formed in the peripheries of the end plates, and wherein the top ends of the side plates and the central tops of the end plates are adapted to be connected in the top by means of a connection member by engaging engage pieces formed in the top ends of the side plates and engage projections attached to the central tops of the ends plates with engage cutouts and engage holes which are formed in the sides and the ends of the connection member.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mikio Watanabe

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 20:01
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K1/00; A01K1/02; A01K1/0236; A01K1/0245; A45; A45C; A45C5/00; A45C5/04; A45C5/045; B; B65; B65D; B65D11/00; B65D11/18; B65D11/1833; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T292/00; Y10T292/08; Y10T292/0801; Y10T292/082; Y10T292/42

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 387 words
Compact collapsible containers comprising: (a) an open-top rectangular-solid-formed bottom box; (b) a front end plate, hinged to the front end of the bottom box via a transverse flexible fold part, having a semi-circular upper half, a groove in its inner periphery, and an engage projection in its central inner top; (c) a rear end plate of a similar form and construction to the front end plate, hinged to the rear end of the bottom box via a transverse flexible fold part which is positioned somewhat higher than that of the front end plate; (d) a rectangular flexible right side plate, hinged to the right side of the bottom box via a transverse flexible fold part which is positioned somewhat lower than that of the front end plate, having a plurality of transverse grooves and transverse long slots over the middle and the top parts, and engage pieces in its top end; (e) a rectangular flexible left side plate having the same form and construction as the right side plate, hinged to the left side of the bottom box; and (f) a connection member of an open-top channel form comprising right and left sides, one of which is provided with engage cutouts, and the other of which is provided with detachable engage cutouts, and front and rear coupling pieces, each having an engage hole and projecting outwards horizontally fron the front or the rear end of the connection member, wherein the free end of one side plate is adapted to be fixed to the one side of the connection member by engaging the engage pieces of the one side plate with the engage cutouts of the one side of the connection member, and the free end of the other side plate is adapted to be detachably connected to the other side of the connection member by detachably engaging the engage pieces of the other side plate with the detachable engage cutouts of the other side of the connection member, wherein the front and the rear ends of the two side plates are adapted to be fitted into the grooves of the front and the rear end plates, respectively, and wherein the engage projections of the front and the rear end plates are adapted to be fitted into the engage holes of the coupling pieces of the connection member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 387 words
Compact collapsible containers comprising: (a) an open-top rectangular-solid-formed bottom box; (b) a front end plate, hinged to the front end of the bottom box via a transverse flexible fold part, having a semi-circular upper half, a groove in its inner periphery, and an engage projection in its central inner top; (c) a rear end plate of a similar form and construction to the front end plate, hinged to the rear end of the bottom box via a transverse flexible fold part which is positioned somewhat higher than that of the front end plate; (d) a rectangular flexible right side plate, hinged to the right side of the bottom box via a transverse flexible fold part which is positioned somewhat lower than that of the front end plate, having a plurality of transverse grooves and transverse long slots over the middle and the top parts, and engage pieces in its top end; (e) a rectangular flexible left side plate having the same form and construction as the right side plate, hinged to the left side of the bottom box; and (f) a connection member of an open-top channel form comprising right and left sides, one of which is provided with engage cutouts, and the other of which is provided with detachable engage cutouts, and front and rear coupling pieces, each having an engage hole and projecting outwards horizontally fron the front or the rear end of the connection member, wherein the free end of one side plate is adapted to be fixed to the one side of the connection member by engaging the engage pieces of the one side plate with the engage cutouts of the one side of the connection member, and the free end of the other side plate is adapted to be detachably connected to the other side of the connection member by detachably engaging the engage pieces of the other side plate with the detachable engage cutouts of the other side of the connection member, wherein the front and the rear ends of the two side plates are adapted to be fitted into the grooves of the front and the rear end plates, respectively, and wherein the engage projections of the front and the rear end plates are adapted to be fitted into the engage holes of the coupling pieces of the connection member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
Compact collapsible containers as defined in claim 1, wherein each side plate is provided with a horizontal fold part in its middle height.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 37 words
Compact collapsible containers as defined in claims 1, or 2, wherein each engage piece of the side plates comprises a T-shaped projection form, and wherein each detachable engage cutout of the connection member comprises a T-shaped cutout.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
Compact collapsible containers as defined in claims 1, or 2, wherein the front end plate is provided with a door.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
Compact collapsible containers as defined in claim 3, wherein the front end plate is provided with a door.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
Compact collapsible containers as defined in claims 1, 2 or 5, wherein a support handle is mounted to the connection member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
Compact collapsible containers as defined in claim 3, wherein a support handle is mounted to the connection member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 18 words
Compact collapsible containers as defined in claim 4, wherein a support handle is mounted to the connection member.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1313691A Cited
US2538778A Cited
US2611476A Cited
US2606652A Cited
US3173465A Cited
US3994372A Cited
US4220119A Cited
GB2035034A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-08-08 1987-02-07 1987-08-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-08-08 1991-02-07 1991-08-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-08-08 1995-02-07 1995-08-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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