US20140326718A1

US20140326718A1 - Foldable storage box

Info

Publication number: US20140326718A1
Application number: US13/941,558
Authority: US
Inventors: To Yan Lui
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-05-06
Filing date: 2013-07-15
Publication date: 2014-11-06
Also published as: CN203237508U

Abstract

The present invention includes a hollow box body, a top cover and a bottom cover which are removably fastened with a top end and a bottom end of the box body respectively, and the box body is a plastic box body which is foldable and integrally formed by injection molding. The plastic box body has front and rear hard plastic walls which are symmetrical, and left and right hard plastic walls which are symmetrical; foldable soft plastic curved walls are disposed at intersections between the front, rear, left and right hard plastic walls. The storage box saves occupying space, and is susceptible to low production costs and has a simple structure. When in use, it is good in strength and securely fastened.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to packaging technology and more specifically pertains to a foldable storage box.
Conventional storage boxes for packaging are generally fixed in terms of shape and size. During storage and transportation, such storage boxes occupy large space, and are easy to be damaged and inconvenient to stack. It is practical to provide storage boxes with foldable structure, so that the foldable storage boxes are convenient to unfold when in use and to fold during storage and transportation. An existing foldable storage box is generally disposed with a supporting edge at each of the four side edges. When such storage box is in use, many supporting edges are required to unfold and fix the storage box in shape. As a result, it is complicated to operate; the articles in the storage box may collide with the supporting edges during storage and thus create inconvenience; it is also necessary to store the supporting edges separately after they are disassembled; during massive production, the increase in supporting edges also significantly increases the costs. In a utility model patent named “Convenient foldable box” under Chinese patent number ZL 91226258.3, a foldable storage box which is convenient to fold and unfold is disclosed. The disclosed foldable storage box has a foldable box body which is disposed with foldable hinges thereon; protruding rims or reinforcing ribs are disposed on each of the four side edges; and a movable clip is disposed on each of the two opposite sides with oblique foldable hinges. The foldable storage box uses movable clips to fix the box body, but it is also deficient in that articles stored in the box may collide with the movable clips. For some other foldable storage boxes, the intersections of the four side walls of the box bodies are easy to be opened and are thus very unsecured; some other foldable boxes are not sufficiently rigid to be stacked when there are articles stored inside. All existing foldable storage boxes are complicated in structure, poor in strength, inconvenient to use, and susceptible to relatively high production costs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a solution for foldable storage boxes which are susceptible to high production costs, complicated in structure and poor in strength.
To attain this, the present invention provides a foldable storage box comprising a hollow box body, a top cover and a bottom cover which are removably fastened with a top end and a bottom end of the box body respectively, and the box body is a plastic box body which is foldable and integrally formed by injection molding.
Furthermore, in the present foldable storage box, the plastic box body comprises a front hard plastic wall and a rear hard plastic wall which are symmetrical, and a left hard plastic wall and a right hard plastic wall which are symmetrical; a foldable soft plastic curved wall is respectively disposed at a first intersection between the front hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall, a second intersection between the right hard plastic wall and the rear hard plastic wall, a third intersection between the rear hard plastic wall and the left hard plastic wall, and a fourth intersection between the left hard plastic wall and the front hard plastic wall; a foldable soft plastic wall is disposed in middle of any one or more of the front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall; the front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall, the right hard plastic wall, the soft plastic curved walls and the soft plastic walls are integrally formed by injection molding.
Furthermore, in the present foldable storage box, inner grooves for fastening with the bottom cover are disposed at bottom inner sides of the front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall; outer grooves for fastening with the inner grooves are disposed at outer side edges of the bottom cover. Raised strips for fastening with the top cover are disposed at upper edges of the front hard plastic wall and the rear hard plastic wall; outer grooves for fastening with the raised strips are disposed at inner side edges of the top cover. In this way, when the storage box is in use, the bottom cover and the top cover fasten well with the top end and bottom end of the box body. Strip-shaped pressed grooves for strengthening the box body are disposed at the front hard plastic wall and the rear hard plastic wall in a symmetric manner, and at the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall in a symmetric manner. The pressed grooves strengthen the walls of the box body, which further enhance the support of the box body; when the storage boxes are stacked upon each other when in use, the boxes at the bottom would not be damaged. The bottom cover has a periphery which as a whole is symmetrically curved; when fastening the bottom cover, the curved edge snaps into the bottom of the pressed grooves in an interference fit. The outer grooves of the bottom cover are each disposed with an inner groove wall and an outer groove wall, and the inner groove wall is lower in height than the outer groove wall; a raised platform engageable with the outer groove walls of the bottom cover is disposed at an outer side of the top cover. This facilitates the storage boxes to stack upon each other when in use, wherein outer groove walls at outer side of the bottom cover of an upper storage box fasten with the raised platform of the top cover of a lower storage box, so that the upper storage box and the lower storage box would not move relative to each other, and the whole stack of storage boxes would not collapse. Certainly, the edge of the raised platform as a whole is symmetrically curved; the outer groove wall of the bottom cover as a whole is also symmetrically curved; the raised platform fastens with the outer groove wall in an interference fit. The outer groove has an inner wall which is further disposed with a protrusion which snaps tightly into upper ends of the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall. This better avoids unsecure fastening of the top cover which makes it easy to drop off. The front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall are made of transparent hard plastic material so that articles inside the box body are visible to outside. The soft plastic curved walls and the soft plastic walls are made of transparent soft plastic material, so that articles inside the storage box are visible to outside and thus it is convenient to use. The top cover and the bottom cover are both made of hard plastic material. Reinforcing ribs for strengthening the covers are disposed at the inner side of the top cover and the outer side of the bottom cover. With the reinforcing ribs, the strength of the top cover and the bottom cover is further enhanced, so as to further enhance the strength and rigidity of the entire storage box when the storage box is in use.
In comparison with existing storage boxes, the foldable storage box of the present invention comprises a hollow box body, a top cover and a bottom cover which are removably fastened with a top end and a bottom end of the box body respectively, and the box body is a plastic box body which is foldable and integrally formed by injection molding. As the box body is integrally formed by injection molding, it is simple in structure and low in production costs. After the box body of the present invention is folded, at least 75% of space can be saved, therefore also saving transportation costs of the box. The front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall, the right hard plastic wall, the top cover and the bottom cover are securely fastened with each other. The front hard plastic wall and the rear hard plastic wall are disposed with strip-shaped pressed grooves in a symmetric manner for strengthening the box body, so that the storage box of the present invention is good in strength and securely fastened when in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view illustrating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the present invention when it is in use.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the inner side of the top cover.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the inner side of the bottom cover.

In the figures: 1—top cover; 2—bottom cover; 3—front hard plastic wall; 4—rear hard plastic wall; 5—left hard plastic wall; 6—right hard plastic wall; 7—soft plastic curved wall; 8—soft plastic wall; 9—inner groove; 10—outer groove; 11—raised strip; 12—pressed groove; 13—inner groove wall; 14—outer groove wall; 15—raised platform; 16—reinforcing rib; 17—protrusion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is further explained below with reference to the accompanying figures.
As shown in FIGS. 1-4, a foldable storage box comprises a hollow box body, a top cover 1 and a bottom cover 2 which are removably fastened with a top end and a bottom end of the box body respectively, and the box body is a plastic box body which is foldable and integrally formed by injection molding. The plastic box body comprises a front hard plastic wall 3 and a rear hard plastic wall 4 which are symmetrical, and a left hard plastic wall 5 and a right hard plastic wall 6 which are symmetrical. Foldable soft plastic curved walls 7 are disposed at intersections between the front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall. A foldable soft plastic wall 8 is disposed in middle of each of the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall. The front hard plastic wall 3, the rear hard plastic wall 4, the left hard plastic wall 5, the right hard plastic wall 6, the soft plastic curved walls 7 and the soft plastic walls 8 are integrally formed by injection molding. Inner grooves 9 for fastening with the bottom cover are disposed at bottom inner sides of the front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall. Outer grooves 10 for fastening with the inner grooves are disposed at outer side edges of the bottom cover. Raised strips 11 for fastening with the top cover are disposed at upper edges of the front hard plastic wall and the rear hard plastic wall. Outer grooves 10 for fastening with the raised strips 11 are disposed at inner side edges of the top cover. Strip-shaped pressed grooves 12 for strengthening the box body are disposed at the front hard plastic wall 3 and the rear hard plastic wall 4 in a symmetric manner, and at the left hard plastic wall 5 and the right hard plastic wall 6 in a symmetric manner. The outer grooves of the bottom cover are each disposed with an inner groove wall 13 and an outer groove wall 14, and the inner groove wall 13 is lower in height than the outer groove wall 14. A raised platform engageable with the outer groove walls 14 of the bottom cover is disposed at an outer side of the top cover. The bottom cover 2 has a periphery which as a whole is symmetrically curved. The outer groove wall 14 at an outer side of the bottom cover as a whole is symmetrically curved. The raised platform 15 at the outer side of the top cover has an edge which as a whole is also symmetrically curved.
The outer groove 10 has an inner wall which is further disposed with a protrusion 17 which snaps tightly into upper ends of the left hard plastic wall 5 and the right hard plastic wall 6. This better avoids unsecure fastening of the top cover 1 which makes it easy to drop off. The front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall are made of transparent hard plastic material so that articles inside the box body are visible to outside. The soft plastic curved walls and the soft plastic walls are made of transparent soft plastic material. The top cover and the bottom cover are both made of hard plastic material. Reinforcing ribs 16 for strengthening the covers are disposed at inner side of the top cover 1 and outer side of the bottom cover 2.
The foldable storage box of the present invention has a box body which is foldable and integrally formed by injection molding. As the box body is integrally formed by injection molding, it is simple in structure and susceptible to low production costs. After the box body of the present invention is folded, at least 75% of space can be saved. The front hard plastic wall 3, the rear hard plastic wall 4, the left hard plastic wall 5, the right hard plastic wall 6, the top cover 1 and the bottom cover 2 are securely fastened with each other. The front hard plastic wall and the rear hard plastic wall are disposed with strip-shaped pressed grooves 12 in a symmetric manner for strengthening the box body, so that the storage box of the present invention is good in strength and securely fastened when in use. When in use, in the foldable storage box, inner grooves 9 for fastening with the bottom cover are disposed at bottom inner sides of the front hard plastic wall 3, the rear hard plastic wall 4, the left hard plastic wall 5 and the right hard plastic wall 6; outer grooves 10 for fastening with the inner grooves are disposed at outer side edges of the bottom cover 2; raised strips 11 for fastening with the top cover are disposed at upper edges of the front hard plastic wall 3 and the rear hard plastic wall 4; outer grooves 10 for fastening with the raised strips 11 are disposed at inner side edges of the top cover 1; In this way, when the storage box is in use, the top cover 1 and the bottom cover 2 fasten well with the top end and bottom end of the box body. Strip-shaped pressed grooves 12 for strengthening the box body are disposed at the front hard plastic wall 3 and the rear hard plastic wall 4 in a symmetric manner, and at the left hard plastic wall 5 and the right hard plastic wall 6 in a symmetric manner. The pressed grooves 12 strengthen the walls of the box body, which further enhance the support of the box body; when the storage boxes are stacked upon each other when in use, the boxes at the bottom would not be damaged. The bottom cover 2 has a periphery which as a whole is symmetrically curved; when fastening the bottom cover, the curved edge snaps into the bottom of the pressed grooves 12 in an interference fit. The outer grooves of the bottom cover are each disposed with an inner groove wall and an outer groove wall, and the inner groove wall is lower in height than the outer groove wall; a raised platform 15 engageable with the outer groove walls 14 of the bottom cover 2 is disposed at an outer side of the top cover 1. This facilitates the storage boxes to stack upon each other when in use, wherein outer groove walls 14 at outer side of the bottom cover of an upper storage box fasten with the raised platform 15 of the top cover of a lower storage box, so that the upper storage box and the lower storage box would not move relative to each other, and the whole stack of storage boxes would not collapse. Certainly, the edge of the raised platform 15 as a whole is symmetrically curved; the outer groove wall 14 of the bottom cover 1 as a whole is also symmetrically curved; the raised platform 15 fastens with the outer groove wall 14 at the outer side of the bottom cover 1 in an interference fit. The outer groove 10 has an inner wall which is further disposed with a protrusion 17 which snaps tightly into upper ends of the left hard plastic wall 5 and the right hard plastic wall 6. The front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall are made of transparent hard plastic material so that articles inside the box body are visible to outside. The soft plastic curved walls and the soft plastic walls are made of transparent soft plastic material, so that articles inside the storage box are visible to outside and thus it is convenient to use. The top cover 1 and the bottom cover 2 are both made of hard plastic material. Reinforcing ribs 16 for strengthening the covers are disposed at the inner side of the top cover 1 and the outer side of the bottom cover 2. With the reinforcing ribs, the strength of the top cover and the bottom cover is further enhanced, so as to further enhance the strength and rigidity of the entire storage box when the storage box is in use.
When in use, first open the box body, and position the bottom cover on the inner grooves 9 at the bottom inner sides of the front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall. The outer grooves of the bottom cover 2 fastens tightly with the inner grooves 9, and the outer edges of the bottom cover 2 and the bottom of the pressed grooves 12 form an interference fit. After placing the articles into the box body, fasten the top cover to the upper end of the box body opening, the raised strip 11 at the upper edges of the front hard plastic wall and the rear hard plastic wall snaps into the outer grooves 10 at the outer side edges of the top cover. The inner wall of the outer groove 10 at the inner side of the top cover 1 is further disposed with the protrusion 17 which snaps tightly into upper ends of the left hard plastic wall 5 and the right hard plastic wall 6. The entire storage box is therefore securely fastened. Besides, the box body is disposed with pressed grooves 12, and the top cover 1 and the bottom cover 2 are disposed with reinforcing ribs; the raised platform 15 engageable with the outer groove walls 14 of the bottom cover 2 is disposed at an outer side of the top cover 1. This facilitates the storage boxes to stack upon each other when in use, wherein outer groove walls 14 at outer side of the bottom cover of an upper storage box fasten with the raised platform 15 of the top cover of a lower storage box, so that the upper storage box and the lower storage box would not move relative to each other, and the whole stack of storage boxes would not collapse. The storage box as a single unit is convenient to use, and it is securely fastened; the storage boxes are stacked upon each other in a tidy and secured manner.
The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The present invention may also be implemented in different ways. In other words, any other obvious combination and replacement which do not depart from the spirit of the present invention falls within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable storage box, comprising a hollow box body, a bottom cover (2) which is removably fastened with a bottom end of the box body, characterized in that the box body is a plastic box body which is foldable and integrally formed by injection molding.

2. The foldable storage box as in claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a top cover (1) which is removably fastened with a top end of the box body.

3. The foldable storage box as in claim 2, characterized in that the plastic box body comprises a front hard plastic wall (3) and a rear hard plastic wall (4) which are symmetrical, and a left hard plastic wall (5) and a right hard plastic wall (6) which are symmetrical; a foldable soft plastic curved wall (7) is respectively disposed at a first intersection between the front hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall, a second intersection between the right hard plastic wall and the rear hard plastic wall, a third intersection between the rear hard plastic wall and the left hard plastic wall, and a fourth intersection between the left hard plastic wall and the front hard plastic wall.

4. The foldable storage box as in claim 3, characterized in that a foldable soft plastic wall (8) is disposed in middle of any one or more of the front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall.

5. The foldable storage box as in claim 4, characterized in that the front hard plastic wall (3), the rear hard plastic wall (4), the left hard plastic wall (5), the right hard plastic wall (6), the soft plastic curved walls (7) and the soft plastic walls (8) are integrally formed by injection molding.

6. The foldable storage box as in claim 5, characterized in that inner grooves (9) for fastening with the bottom cover are disposed at bottom inner sides of the front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall; outer grooves (10) for fastening with the inner grooves are disposed at outer side edges of the bottom cover.

7. The foldable storage box as in claim 6, characterized in that raised strips (11) for fastening with the top cover are disposed at upper edges of the front hard plastic wall and the rear hard plastic wall; outer grooves (10) for fastening with the raised strips (11) are disposed at inner side edges of the top cover.

8. The foldable storage box as in claim 7, characterized in that strip-shaped pressed grooves (12) for strengthening the box body are disposed at the front hard plastic wall (3) and the rear hard plastic wall (4) in a symmetric manner, and at the left hard plastic wall (5) and the right hard plastic wall (6) in a symmetric manner.

9. The foldable storage box as in claim 6, characterized in that the outer grooves of the bottom cover are each disposed with an inner groove wall (13) and an outer groove wall (14), and the inner groove wall (13) is lower in height than the outer groove wall (14); a raised platform (15) engageable with the outer groove walls (14) of the bottom cover is disposed at an outer side of the top cover.

10. The foldable storage box as in claim 9, characterized in that the bottom cover (2) has a periphery which as a whole is symmetrically curved; the outer groove wall (14) at outer side of the bottom cover as a whole is symmetrically curved; the raised platform (15) at the outer side of the top cover has an edge which as a whole is also symmetrically curved.

11. The foldable storage box as in claim 7, characterized in that the outer groove (10) has an inner wall which is further disposed with a protrusion (17) which snaps tightly into upper ends of the left hard plastic wall (5) and the right hard plastic wall (6).

12. The foldable storage box as in claim 3, characterized in that the front hard plastic wall, the rear hard plastic wall, the left hard plastic wall and the right hard plastic wall are made of transparent hard plastic material so that articles inside the box body are visible to outside; the soft plastic curved walls and the soft plastic walls are made of transparent soft plastic material.

13. The foldable storage box as in any of claims 1-4, 8, 10, 11 and 12, characterized in that the top cover and the bottom cover are both made of hard plastic material; reinforcing ribs (16) for strengthening the covers are disposed at inner side of the top cover and outer side of the bottom cover.