US20090001084A1

US20090001084A1 - Folding collapsible storage container

Info

Publication number: US20090001084A1
Application number: US11/769,738
Authority: US
Inventors: Wen-Tsan Wang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-06-28
Filing date: 2007-06-28
Publication date: 2009-01-01

Abstract

A folding collapsible storage container includes a folding container body formed by stitching cloth-wrapped rigid members together and having horizontal pockets on the inside, a first partition strip set between two opposite side panels of the container body with its two folding ends respectively plugged into a respective horizontal pocket at the associating side panels of the container body, and second partition strips bilaterally set between the other two opposite side panels of the container body and the two opposite sides of the first partition strip with their respective two folding ends respectively plugged into a respective horizontal pocket at the associating side panel of the container body and a respective horizontal pocket at the first partition strip.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to storage containers and more particularly, to a folding collapsible storage container that can be folded into a collapsed flat manner to reduce storage space.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Due to limited living space, people usually use storage containers to keep small clothes and small items. Conventional storage containers are made of rigid materials such as plastics, wood, metal, etc. These rigid storage containers are not collapsible. Therefore, these rigid storage containers require much storage space when not in use or during delivery. Nowadays, various folding collapsible storage containers have been disclosed, and have appeared on the market. A folding collapsible storage container is known comprising a collapsible rectangular container body formed of canvass, four top horizontal rods respectively fastened to the four sides of the container body at the top, two bottom horizontal axis respectively fastened to two opposite sides of the container body at the bottom, and four vertical rods respectively fastened to the container body in the four corners. The rod members am kept spaced from one another at a distance after installation. The rod members support the container body in shape. Further, each vertical peripheral panel of the container body has two crossed and diagonally extending folding lines. Through the folding lines, the container body can be collapsed.
Conventional folding collapsible storage containers have fixed compartments. The user cannot adjust the number of the compartments subject to actual requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a folding collapsible storage container that can conveniently be set up for storing storage items in a good order, or folded into a collapsed flat manner to save storage space when not in use. It is another object of foe present invention to provide a folding collapsible storage container, which allows foe user to adjust the number of compartments defined in the container body.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the folding collapsible storage container comprises a folding container body which is formed by stitching cloth-wrapped rigid member together and has horizontal pockets on the inside, a rigid bottom plain attached to the flexible bottom panel of the folding container body, and a first partition strip set between two opposite side panels of the container body with its two folding ends respectively plugged into a respective horizontal pocket at the associating side panels of the container body to divide the accommodation open space of the container body into two compartments. A tier removable of foe rigid bottom plate and the first partition strip from the folding container body the folding container body can be folded into a collapsed flat manner.
According to another aspect of the present invention, second partition strips are provided and bilaterally set between the other two opposite side panels of the container body and the two opposite sides of the first partition strip with their respective two folding ends respectively plugged into a respective horizontal pocket at rite associating side panel of the container body and a respective horizontal pocket at the first partition strip. Therefore, the second partition strips divide the two compartments into multiple small compartments.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the side panels of the container body, the first partition strip, and the second partition strips are respectively wrapped with a cloth member and stitched to provide the respective horizontal pockets.
The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manliest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an extended out view of a rectangular form of folding collapsible storage container according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 corresponds to FIG. 1, showing the rigid bottom plate attached to foe bottom panel of foe container body, the small cloth-wrapped rigid strip members of the first partition stops and the second partition strips turned through 90-degrees relative to the respective big cloth-wrapped rigid strip members.

FIG. 3 shows one installation example of the folding collapsible storage container according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows another installation example of the folding collapsible storage container according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows still another installation example of the folding collapsible storage container according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows still another installation example of the folding collapsible storage container according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing a folded status of the folding collapsible storage container according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a square form of folding collapsible storage container according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Referring to FIG. 1, a folding collapsible storage container in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of a container body 1, a rigid bottom plate 2, at least one first partition strip 3, and at least one second partition strip 4.
The container body 1 is a rectangular box member formed by stitching cloth-wrapped rigid plate members together, comprising a bottom panel 11 and four side panels 12 perpendicularly arranged around the four sides of the bottom panel 11. The bottom panel 11 is a soft cloth panel without rigid plain member. The four side panels 12 are respectively formed of at least one cloth wrapped rigid plate member. A vertical trading line 121 is formed on the middle of each of two opposite ones of the four side panels 12 so that the container body 1 can be folded into a flat manner. Each side panel 12 carrying one folding line 121 is formed of two cloth-wrapped rigid plate members, and the folding line 121 is disposed between the two rigid plate members. The container body 1 defines an accommodation open space. Further, two handles 14 are provided at two opposite side panels 12 outside the container body 1 for carrying by hand.
Further, horizontal pockets 131 are provided on the inner sides of the side panels 12 for securing the first partition strips 3 and the second partition strips 4.
Each first partition strip 3 is formed of a big cloth-wrapped rigid strip member 32, two small cloth-wrapped rigid strip members 31, and two folding lines 33 respectively connected to between the two distal ends of the big cloth-wrapped rigid strip member 32 and the two small cloth-wrapped rigid strip members 31. By means of the folding lines 33, the two small cloth-wrapped rigid strip members 31 can be respectively turned inwards through 90-degrees relative to the big cloth-wrapped rigid stop member 32 (see FIG. 2). Further, the first partition strip 3 has a plurality of horizontal pockets 321 symmetrically disposed at two opposite sides corresponding to the horizontal pockets 131 on two opposite side panels 12 of the container body 1.
Each second partition strip 4 is formed of a big cloth-wrapped rigid strip member 41, two small cloth-wrapped rigid strip members 42, and two folding lines 43 respectively connected to between the two distal ends of the big cloth-wrapped rigid strip member 41 and the two small cloth-wrapped rigid strip members 42. By means of the folding lines 43, the two small cloth-wrapped rigid strip members 42 can be respectively turned inwards through 90-degrees relative to the big cloth-wrapped rigid strip member 41 (see FIG. 2).
During installation, the rigid bottom plate 2 is mounted in the container body 1 and closely attached to the top side of the bottom panel 11, and the first partition strips 3 and the second partition strips 4 are selectively mounted in the container body 1 to divide the accommodation open space of the container body 1 into a plurality of compartments.
FIG. 3 shows one installation example of the folding collapsible storage container in which one first partition strip 3 is installed in the container body 1 to divide the accommodation open space of the container body 1 into two compartments. According to this installation example, the two small cloth-wrapped rigid strip members 31 of the first partition strip 3 are respectively inserted into a respective horizontal pocket 131 of two opposite side panels 13 of the container body 1 and the big cloth-wrapped rigid strip member 32 is stopped between the two associating opposite side panels 13 of the container body 1 (see also FIG. 2).
FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 3 but showing two second partition strips 4 installed in the container body 1, and the first partition strip 3 with the two second partition strips 4 divide the accommodation open space of the container body 1 into four compartments, the two small cloth-wrapped rigid strip members 42 of each second partition strip 4 are respectively fastened to one horizontal pocket 321 of the first partition strip 3 and one horizontal pocket 131 of one side panel 12 of the container body 1 (see also FIG. 2).
FIG. 5 shows still another installation example of the fording collapsible storage container in which one first partition strip 3 and tour second partition strips 4 are installed in the container body 1 to divide the accommodation open space of the container body 1 into 6 compartments.
FIG. 6 shows still another installation example of the folding collapsible storage container in which two first partition strips 3 and 6 second partition strips 4 are installed in the container body 1 to divide the accommodation open space of the container body 1 into 9 compartments.
Referring to FIG. 7, when not in use, the first partition strips 3 and the second partition strips 4 can be received together in a stack or stacks, and the container body 1 can be folded into a flat manner after removal of the rigid bottom plate 2 (not shown).
In the aforesaid embodiment, the folding collapsible storage container is a rectangular storage container. Alternatively, the invention can be made in a square shape as shown in FIG. 8.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A folding collapsible storage container comprising:

a container body, said container body comprising a flexible bottom panel, and four rigid side panels perpendicularly arranged around four sides of said flexible bottom panel and defining with said flexible bottom panel a rectangular accommodation open space, said side panels each having and inner side and at least one horizontal pocket at the inner side, said side panels including two first opposite side panels, said first opposite side panels each having a vertically extending middle folding line;

a rigid bottom plate attachable to said flexible bottom panel inside said container body; and

at least one first partition strip for fastening to said container body to divide said rectangular accommodation open space into a plurality of compartments, said at least one first partition strip comprising a big rigid strip member, two small rigid strip members respectively connected to two distal ends of said big rigid strip member for plugging into one horizontal pocket of each of two opposite side panels of said container body, and two folding lines respectively connected to between the two distal ends of said big rigid strip member and said two small rigid strip members.

2. The folding collapsible storage container as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of second partition strips for fastening to two opposite side panels of said container body and two opposite sides of each of said at least one first partition strip that is fastened to said container body, said second partition strips each comprising a first rigid strip member, two second rigid strip members respectively connected to two distal ends of said first rigid strip member for plugging into one horizontal pocket of one side panel of said container body and one horizontal pocket of said at least one first partition strip, and two folding lines respectively connected to between the two distal ends of said first rigid strip member and said two second rigid strip members.

3. The folding collapsible storage container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said side panels of said container body and said at least one first partition strip are respectively wrapped with a cloth member and stitched to provide the respective horizontal pockets.