Collapsible plastic container

Abstract

A collapsible container has end and side wall panels, and a gate that are assembled onto a pallet base and supported by flanges extending up from a planer base. Either the side or the end walls each have a hinge structure between panels of the walls. The hinge structure permits inward folding of the hinged panels so that they can lay flat, one upon the other, in a folded or collapsed position with the non-hinged panels also laying flat. The end and side walls can be removed from their respective bases and multiple ones of the folded wall configurations can fit within an assembled container. As a result, substantially the entire volume of the assembled container can be filled with the folded wall configurations of other containers for return shipment. This enables a highly efficient return shipment ratio of the containers.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to collapsible containers made of plastic and, in particular, to a pallet-sized container having collapsible side and end walls.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Containers which ship on pallets, for example, plastic or wooden pallets are a well known material in the material handling industry. For example, cardboard containers known as gaylord manufactured by ULINE are known which are 48 inches×40 inches having cardboard sides which are supported by a wooden pallet and are typically 36 inches high and provided with a cardboard lid. The problems with cardboard gaylord boxes are that cardboard material is not as durable as plastic and the extent of nestability of the containers for return shipment is limited.[0003]To overcome the disadvantages of using cardboard and containers that are adapted for use with pallets, plastic corrugated material is known, for example, from Schuert. However, the flutes of the plastic corrugated side and en...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]The present invention is directed to a plastic collapsible gaylord-type container in which the side and end walls are formed of injection molded plastic to increase the durability of the container. For example, as compared with cardboard containers which might withstand 4-6 trips and corrugated plastic containers which might withstand 50-60 trips in a material handling cycle, a container of a comparable size manufactured from injection molded plastic will withstand 100 or more trips in a material handling cycle.

[0006]According to the present invention, the side and end walls of the container are supported on an injection molded plastic pallet as a base having a 48 inch×40 inch footprint that is able to withstand a one thousand pound capacity for a nominal height of 36 inches. The strength of the container is able to withstand stacking up to three high. Further, as a result of the hinge lines incorporated in the mid span of the end panels and the hinge lines on the corners, the side and end walls of the containers fold to a compact configuration that is able to be incorporated within an erected container for a high return ratio, of as much as 9:2 versus 3:1 for corrugated plastic containers. That is, when in the folded configuration, the end and side walls neatly nest into an erected container with the folded walls stacked on edge within the container or lying flat, stacked on top of the pallet.

Problems solved by technology

The problems with cardboard gaylord boxes are that cardboard material is not as durable as plastic and the extent of nestability of the containers for return shipment is limited.

However, the flutes of the plastic corrugated side and end walls can trap dirt and, although the material is more durable than cardboard, it is less durable than injection molded plastic side and end walls.

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