Container with expandable dunnage

Abstract

The present invention provides a container (200) including a container body (202) that forms an internal cavity for accommodating contents. The container (200) has an opening (236) through which the contents can be inserted into and removed from the internal volume. A closure body (204), which can be in the shape of a lid, is movable relative to the container body (202) between a closed position closing the opening (236) and an open position where the opening (236) is not covered. A locking member (280) is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and is configured to lock the closure body in its closed position when in the locked position. By moving the locking member to the unlocked position, the closure body (204) is released and the container opens. An inflatable dunnage (256) is provided in the internal volume and is configured to inflate by injecting a fluid (which may be a gas). An exhaust port (290) communicates with the inflatable dunnage, and an exhaust port blocking means (278) having a closed state closing the exhaust port (290) and an open state opening the exhaust port is provided. The locking member (280) is configured to cooperate with the exhaust port blocking means (278), and by moving the locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position, the exhaust port blocking means (278) is changed from the closed state to the open state, whereby the pressure in the inflatable dunnage is automatically released through the exhaust port before the container is opened.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of containers provided with dunnage to protect the contents of the container from damage. Such containers are particularly, but not limited to, suitable for use in the delivery of products.

Background Art

[0002] Containers used for the maintenance, storage, and shipping of goods are diverse. Such containers include a wide variety of cartons and boxes. Perhaps the most common type of container used in the transportation industry is, for example, a disposable carton made of cardboard or paperboard. Typically, the contents to be transported are placed in the container, and then the remaining internal volume of the container is filled with loose dunnage that can include, for example, expanded polystyrene chips or shredded paper. The dunnage may include an elastic material such as foam that is shaped to complement the contour and size of the contents.

[0003] Conventional shipping boxes are typically sealed by disposable means such as adhesive tape, staples, or knotted twine.

[0004] Once the container arrives at its destination, the recipient typically discards both the container and the associated dunnage, which is wasteful and has an adverse environmental impact. Some forms of dunnage cannot be recycled, and even when materials such as cardboard are recycled, there are environmental costs associated with remanufacturing, which can be avoided by reusing the container instead. Recyclable components are not always recycled. Uniform recycling can only be done a few times, and recycling itself has an energy footprint. Non-recycled and non-recyclable elements can cause another type of environmental burden, namely pollution.

[0005] Typically, existing shipping containers have information necessary to transport the container to its destination provided on the outside. This can be in the form of, for example, address labels, shipping labels, and / or customs and other declarations. Generating these components requires a significant energy footprint.

[0006] The use of these affixed labels hinders the easy reuse of shipping containers because, in many cases, the labels need to be removed or at least hidden before reuse. Similarly, disposable means such as adhesive tape for closing the container usually become an obstacle to container reuse because they need to be removed and replaced.

[0007] The use of inflatable structures as dunnage is known. For example, pillows pre-inflated and sealed made of thin polyethylene film are widely used for this purpose. These are usually used only once, and their bulk becomes an obstacle when the shipper returns them for reuse.

[0008] Patent Document 1 discloses a reusable transport system including a closable transport container and a packaging ensemble disposed inside the container and including an expandable cushion assembly and a reusable packaging accessory. The expandable cushion assembly is a layered arrangement having at least one foam layer and an inflatable bladder, while the packaging accessory may be one or more cushioned bags or the like.

[0009] Patent Document 2 discloses a packaging box equipped with an airbag for shock absorption. Instead of installing a separate shock absorption member in the packaging box, an airbag composed of a plurality of air cells is integrally formed with the inner surface of the packaging box by heat and pressure, and then air is injected into the airbag. The air cells of the airbag have unique one-way valves, so that even if some of the air cells are damaged, the shock absorption function of the airbag is continuously maintained. A square support bar is integrally formed with the lower surface of the packaging box, thereby further absorbing the shock applied to the packaging box. The products described here are not suitable for reuse or recycling due to their structure.

[0010] Patent Document 3 discloses a packaging box for fragile products including a box body, a box cover, an inner box, a first spring, an air cushion, and a fixing assembly. The box cover is arranged on the box body. The fixing components include a movable plate, an elastic telescopic rod, a mounting plate, a screw rod, and a fixing block. The spring and the air cushion are arranged to attenuate and protect the inner box, absorb shocks, and prevent fragile products from being damaged by external forces. This is a delicate and complex structure that is not practical for mass use.

[0011] Patent Document 4 discloses a shock-absorbing packaging box in which a pair of inner shells are partially fused between a pair of outer shells to form a shock-absorbing packaging material having a plurality of air cells. When inflated, the air cells are connected to an overall box-shaped structure. This packaging box is specific to the contents and cannot be used for other contents having different shapes and sizes.

[0012] Other examples of containers with inflatable dunnage are described in Patent Document 5, Patent Document 6, Patent Document 7, Patent Document 8, Patent Document 9, and Patent Document 10, but not all of them are suitable for reuse.

[0013] The delivery container must be particularly user-friendly for the recipient. One of the problems with containers equipped with inflatable dunnage is that, since the inflatable dunnage tightly wraps the contents, it is difficult to remove the contents unless at least the dunnage is shrunk. Another problem is that the pressurized dunnage suddenly released when the container is opened may cause jolts and even injuries, for example, when the closure of the container is rapidly opened at the time of release.

[0014] A practical obstacle to the reuse of delivery containers is their bulkiness. For reuse, the container often needs to be returned to the shipper or delivered to a new location in an empty state. However, due to the volume occupied by the empty container in the vehicle, this return trip may not be economical and also causes an environmental burden. Conventional forms of dunnage such as paper and foam are also inherently bulky (occupying space inside the container is one of the main functions of dunnage), so the return trip for reuse also requires economic and environmental costs.

[0015] Patent Document 11 discloses inflatable dunnage for use in transporting biocontainers, and explains that it can be returned to the shipper for economical reuse because the inflatable dunnage can be shrunk and folded into a small space. This document does not detail how to fold the container, and also proposes using the inflatable dunnage in a foldable rigid outer container.

[0016] Patent Document 12 discloses a reusable shipping container with inflatable dunnage, and the container has flexible walls formed of hemp, cotton, or denim assembled by sewing. An air flow network including plastic or rubber tubes extends along the apex of the container where it is erected, providing shock and structural support when the container is in an expanded configuration. Considering the rough handling that can be applied to the container during transportation, it is questionable how much protection this type of container, whose structure depends on inflatable tubes, can provide.

[0017] Patent Document 13 relates to a foldable packing box with inflatable airbags. The panels forming the box structure are joined to each other along certain apexes via some form of hinge, while the other apexes are formed by zippers so that the structure can be folded, and thus, erecting and folding the box involves closing / opening these connections with the zippers. The usability and robustness of this packing box can be questioned.

[0018] There remains a problem in providing a foldable container with inflatable internal dunnage that is easy to fold and store during delivery while having sufficient robustness.

[0019] One of these problems is that when inflatable dunnage must be left in the folded container, the dunnage needs to be folded into a small volume. For this, it is desirable that the dunnage tends to fold neatly when the container is folded. If the dunnage becomes disordered and wrinkled, it may prevent the container from being folded. The airbag and tube arrangements found in the prior art do not seem to be configured to fold neatly.

[0020] A convenient means of maintaining the container in a folded state is also desirable. Otherwise, the container may inadvertently erect entirely or partially during handling.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0021]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Patent Document 5

Patent Document 6

Patent Document 7

Patent Document 8

Patent Document 9

Patent Document 10

Patent Document 11

Patent Document 12

Patent Document 13

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0022] There is a need to provide an improved reusable container that overcomes the drawbacks, limitations, and disadvantages associated with existing containers and can protect the contents from physical damage.

[0023] It is an object to provide an improved reusable container with cushions that can be used multiple times in a sustainable manner.

[0024] An additional or alternative object is to provide a cushioned container that can be easily folded and is easy to store or transport when empty.

[0025] An additional or alternative object of the present invention is to provide a foldable container having an inflatable internal cushion that can be properly folded when the container is folded, thereby minimizing the bulk of the container.

[0026] An additional or alternative object is to provide a cushioned container that can be easily and safely opened to remove the contents of the container.

[0027] An additional or alternative object is to provide a cushioned container that can be stored and transported when empty in a volume smaller than that of a full container.

[0028] An additional or alternative object is to provide a cushioned container that can store and display information about the contents without the need to attach a label or other physical marking.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0029] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a container body having an internal cavity for accommodating contents and an opening through which the contents can be inserted into and removed from the internal volume; a closure body movable relative to the container body between a closed position closing the opening and an open position where the opening is not covered; A locking member that is movable between a locking position and an unlocking position and is configured to lock the closing body in its closed position when in the locking position, and when moved to the unlocking position, releases the closing body and enables the closing body to be moved to its open position, and An inflatable dunnage disposed within the internal volume and configured to expand by injection of a gas or liquid, and An exhaust port in communication with the inflatable dunnage, and Exhaust port blocking means having a closed state for closing the exhaust port and an open state for opening the exhaust port, and Including, the locking member is configured to cooperate with the exhaust port blocking means, whereby moving the locking member from its locking position to its unlocking position causes the exhaust port blocking means to change from its closed state to its open state, whereby the pressure within the inflatable dunnage is automatically released through the exhaust port before the container opens. Provide a container.

[0030] The closing body can take the form of a lid and may be hingedly coupled to the remainder of the container body. The locking member may be rotatably coupled to the container body or the closing body / lid.

[0031] In one embodiment, the exhaust port blocking means is carried by the locking member and includes a plug configured to be inserted into the exhaust port by an operation of moving the locking member to the locking position and withdrawn from the exhaust port by an operation of moving the locking member to the unlocking position.

[0032] To enable inflation of the inflatable dunnage, the plug may incorporate an inflation port through which the inflatable dunnage can be inflated while the plug is within the exhaust port. The inflation port may comprise a passage through a plug configured to receive a needle-type inflation nozzle and elastically seal when the nozzle is withdrawn. Alternatively, the inflation port may be formed separately from the plug. The inflation port may be provided with a one-way valve for allowing gas / fluid to flow into the inflatable dunnage but preventing it from flowing out through the inflation port.

[0033] In one embodiment, the exhaust port blocking means includes a rotary operating valve connected to the locking member, whereby the rotary operating valve is opened and closed by the rotational movement of the locking member. The rotary operating valve may be on the rotation axis of the locking member, which may be substantially perpendicular to the panel of the container body that supports the locking member.

[0034] The container may be foldable, whereby the volume of the container when empty can be reduced for storage and / or transportation. For example, a cardboard box can be folded once after use, but the container of the present invention is preferably configured to be repeatedly and reversibly reconfigured between a folded state and a use state. The container preferably comprises one or more locking means for releasably locking the container in the use state. The container preferably comprises one or more locking means for releasably locking the container in the folded state.

[0035] In one embodiment, the container body comprises an upper panel, a lower panel, and a plurality of foldable sidewalls connecting the upper panel to the lower panel, whereby the container can be repeatedly and reversibly reconfigured between a use state and a folded state, and the sidewalls are upright in the use state, so that an internal volume is defined between the upper panel, the lower panel, and the sidewalls, and in the folded state, the sidewalls are folded and the upper panel is moved towards the lower panel.

[0036] In one embodiment, a rewritable electronic display is provided on the outside of the container. Thereby, the destination address and other information required for delivery can be displayed, eliminating the need for adhesive labels or written markings on the container that may need to be removed or erased before reuse. The electronic display may be part of a display module configured to communicate with a computing device via a secure communication channel, through which information to be displayed can be transmitted to the display module.

[0037] In other embodiments of the present invention, the volume occupied by an empty container can be minimized by enabling components of the container to be disassembled and stacked on top of each other and / or on similar components of further containers. In such an embodiment, the container body comprises at least two separable parts that, when assembled together, define an internal volume, at least one of which is configured to be stackable on top of another identically formed part. The separable parts may include a base panel with upright side walls that branch away from each other in a direction away from the base panel.

[0038] The internal cavity of the container may be divided into two or more separate spaces by an inflatable structure that serves both as dunnage and a partition. When deflated, this structure is foldable together with the rest of the container.

[0039] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container comprising an inflatable dunnage and a container body, the container body comprising an upper panel, a lower panel, a plurality of foldable side walls connecting the upper panel to the lower panel, and an opening, whereby the container is repeatedly and reversibly reconfigurable between a use state and a folded state, the side walls being upright in the use state, whereby an internal cavity is defined between the upper panel, the lower panel, and the side walls, into which contents can be inserted via the opening, and the volume of the container being reduced in the folded state by the side walls being folded and the upper panel being moved towards the lower panel.

[0040] The inflatable dunnage may include a back-to-back sheet of flexible impermeable material selectively stitched to form inflatable cells. When the container is folded, the dunnage can be left inside the container and prepared for reuse.

[0041] When the dunnage becomes disordered and wrinkled during the folding of the container, there is a possibility of local bulkiness, which may resist folding. In one embodiment, the inflatable dunnage is disposed within the container body and is fixed or moored to the container body so as to be folded together with the container body.

[0042] In some embodiments, the foldable sidewalls can leave an opening inside or between them when in the upright position. In one embodiment, such an opening is covered by at least one flexible panel that can be folded when the sidewall is folded. The flexible panel may include a fibrous material. The flexible panel may form a continuous band around the sidewall or may be applied locally. The flexible panel may be disposed within the container body or may be disposed outside the container body.

[0043] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in one suitable foldable container structure, each sidewall comprises an upper panel and a lower panel, the upper panel having an upper edge hingedly connected to the upper panel and a lower edge hingedly connected to the upper edge of the lower panel, the lower panel having a lower edge hingedly connected to the lower panel, the upper panel and the lower panel each having a trapezoidal shape, whereby the upper panel can be rotated inwardly to a common plane without interfering with each other and the lower panel can be folded inwardly to a common plane without interfering with each other.

[0044] The resulting opening within the sidewall structure is covered by a tubular skirt surrounding the sidewall, the upper peripheral edge of the tubular skirt being connected to the upper panel and the lower peripheral edge being connected to the lower panel. The skirt is preferably selectively moored to the container body so as to form neat folds when the container body is folded.

[0045] In one embodiment, the container is provided with a user-operable and releasable mechanism for locking the container in the folded state.

[0046] In one embodiment, the container body further includes a closure that is movable between a closed position that closes the opening to prevent access to the internal cavity and an open position where the opening is not covered. The container further includes a locking member that is attached to the container body and is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position with respect to the container body. (a) When the closure is in the closed position, the locking member is configured to lock the closure in the closed position while in the locked position and release the closure when in the unlocked position. (b) When the container is in the folded state, the locking member is configured to lock the container in the folded state when in the locked position and release the container to allow it to be reconfigured to the use state when in the unlocked position.

[0047] In one embodiment of the present invention, a pressurized canister filled with a fluid is connectable to an inflatable dunnage. The pressurized canister is easily accessible to the user and allows the user to adjust the pressure within the inflatable dunnage even when the container is sealed for transportation. The pressurized canister helps maintain the required pressure within the inflatable pillow from the packing stage to the destination, thereby protecting the stored object from damage in case the pressure within the inflatable dunnage is lost.

[0048] The container according to the present invention is reusable and thus environmentally sustainable. Its inflatable dunnage absorbs shocks and protects the contents of the container. The inflated dunnage takes a shape complementary to the empty space around the contents within the container, surrounds the contents, and protects the contents from shocks. Conventional disposable dunnage may become completely unnecessary.

[0049] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.

[0050] Next, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example only and not by way of limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0051]

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0052] The following is a detailed description of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are presented by way of example and not limitation. The details presented are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention; rather, they are intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the scope of the present invention in accordance with the appended claims.

[0053] Referring to FIGS. 1-7, the container 100 includes a box-shaped container body 102 having a closure in the form of a lid 104, a bottom panel 106, and a plurality of side panels 108. The panels 106, 108, and lid 104 together define the shape of the container, which is a rectangular parallelepiped in this example, although other container shapes may be employed in other embodiments. The lid 104 is movable between a closed position that prevents access to the interior of the container 100 by covering the surface where the lid 104 opens above the container body 102, and an open position where the above-mentioned opening surface is exposed. In some embodiments, the lid 104 is completely removable from the container body 102, but in this embodiment, it is hingedly connected to the container body 102. When the lid is in the open position, the container 100 can accommodate the contents 112 through its opening surface. Any appropriately sized object or item can form the contents. The lid 104 can be fixed in the closed position through appropriate locking means. Although not shown in FIGS. 1-7, appropriate locking means are described below and can be used with the container 100.

[0054] The container 100 can be provided with two or more compartments within the container body 102 to facilitate the accommodation of individual items of the contents 112 in each compartment. One or more removable partitions can be arranged within the container 100 to form the compartments. The partitions may be expandable.

[0055] In this embodiment, the container 100 further includes inflatable dunnage formed by one or more inflatable pillows 114 within the container body 102. The pillow 114 can be inflated and deflated from the outside of the container 100. The pillow 114 can be inflated before placing the contents 112 into the container 100. Alternatively, the contents 112 can be placed into the container 100 with the pillow 114 deflated, and then the pillow 114 can be inflated to fill the empty space around the contents 112 and tightly embrace the contents 112. In either case, as shown in FIG. 5, the contents 112 can be surrounded, embraced, and protected by the pillow 114.

[0056] In this embodiment, the pillows 114 are in fluid communication with each other via conduits 116 in the form of pipes that can be flexible. The gas for inflating the pillows 114 is supplied from a gas source 118 that can include, for example, a pump or a pressurized gas reservoir. In some examples, a gas extractor can be used to extract gas from the pillows 114 to fully deflate the pillows 114. The pillows 114 of this embodiment are filled with gas, but in other embodiments, they may be filled with liquid instead.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, each inner surface of the container body 102 is provided with a respective pillow 114 for surrounding the contents 112 from all sides.

[0058] FIG. 5 shows, by way of example only, the contents 112 of a conical-shaped item and the balloon-shaped inflatable pillow 114, but the present invention is not limited to the nature or shape of the contents 112. The shape of the inflatable pillow 114 may be different in other embodiments and may be selected to accommodate a particular-shaped content.

[0059] Container 100 can include, but is not limited to, any of plastic, cardboard, metal, wood, or biodegradable materials. The inflatable pillow 114 can be flexible and may be made of a liquid-impermeable material. Suitable materials are known as TPU-coated fabrics and include woven sheets with a thermoplastic polyurethane coating. The woven sheet can be strong and tear-resistant. The coating makes the material gas-impermeable.

[0060] One of the problems in the reuse of shipping containers is that they are bulky, making transportation and storage cumbersome when empty. For example, when a container is used for the delivery of retail goods to consumers, if the container is to be reused, it usually needs to be returned to a depot for refilling. However, since an empty container can occupy a large volume in a delivery vehicle, the cost of this return trip can be an economic obstacle to container reuse. Also, storing a large number of bulky containers can be uneconomical. To address this problem, the container embodying the present invention can be configured to (a) be foldable or (b) stackable with each other. In either case, it is advantageous to use inflatable dunnage because the volume can be minimized during contraction. After delivery, the dunnage is contracted, and the container is folded and / or arranged to be stacked compactly with other similar containers. In this simple way, the volume occupied by the container can be minimized.

[0061] Container 100 is foldable. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-7, side panels 108a-108d of container body 102 each include an upper sub-panel 122 having an upper edge 125 hingedly connected to an edge of upper panel 126 of container body 102 and a lower edge 128 hingedly connected to an upper edge of lower sub-panel 130. The lower edge 132 of lower sub-panel 130 is hingedly connected to an edge of lower panel 106. This configuration allows container 100 to be switched between a folded state and a use state.

[0062] In the folded state shown in FIG. 7, the upper sub-panel 122 and the lower sub-panel 130 are rotated outward and arranged to face each other, becoming substantially parallel to the lower panel 106. The upper panel 126 is adjacent to the lower panel 106 and has a shallow depth configuration, so the occupied volume is small. The contracted pillow 114 and pipe 116 are firmly accommodated between the panel 106 and the panel 126.

[0063] The container body 102 is converted from the folded state to the use state by pulling the upper panel 126 away from the lower panel 106, rotating the upper sub-panel 122 and the lower sub-panel 130 so that they are arranged in a common plane and occupy a position substantially perpendicular to the lower panel 106, separating the lower panel 106 from the upper panel 126 to the maximum extent, and forming a rectangular parallelepiped shape of the upright container with the contents 112 ready to be accommodated.

[0064] The reconfiguration between the folded state and the use state is reversible and can be repeatedly executed.

[0065] The container 100 is configured to be stacked on top of each other in both the folded state and the use state, and may be provided with alignment features for maintaining the alignment of adjacent units when stacked, which makes it easier to stack neatly and / or improves the stability of the stack. The alignment features may be provided on the upper surface and / or the lower surface of the container 100. In this embodiment, the alignment features include raised portions 134 at the corners of the lid 104.

[0066] Figures 8 to 13 show a second container 200 embodying the present invention. This shares various structural features with the first container 100. The container body 202 of the container 200 includes a lower panel 206, side panels 208 each including an upper sub-panel 222 and a lower sub-panel 230, a closure in the form of a lid 204, and an upper panel 226 directly below the lid 204. The container 200 has a rectangular planar shape and thus has four side panels 208, although other shapes may be used in other embodiments. The upper sub-panels 222 are each hingedly connected to each edge of the upper panel 226 at the upper edge 224 of the upper sub-panel 222 and are also each hingedly connected to each lower sub-panel 230 at the lower edge 228 of the upper sub-panel 222, and each lower sub-panel is hingedly connected to each edge of the lower panel 206 at its lower edge 232.

[0067] The lid 204 is hingedly connected to the upper panel 226 and is shown in an open state in FIG. 13. Also shown in FIG. 13 is an opening 236 in the upper panel 226 through which the contents 112 can be placed in and removed from the container 200.

[0068] The second container 200 can be reversibly and repeatedly reconfigured between the folded state of FIG. 10 and the use state of FIG. 8. The second container 200 is different from the first container 100 in that, in order to fold the container body 202, as can be seen from FIGS. 9 and 10, the upper sub-panel 222 and the lower sub-panel 230 of the container body 202 rotate inwards (not outwards) and are placed within the footprint defined by the lower panel 206 and the upper panel 226. In this way, the footprint of the folded container 200 is minimized, and the folded container forms a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is easy to handle and stack. In order to enable the sub-panels 222, 230 to rotate inwards without interfering with each other, the sub-panels 222, 230 are each not perpendicular to the upper edge 224 and the lower edge 232, but instead are inclined with respect to them and converge in the direction of the hinge connection between the upper sub-panel 222 and the lower sub-panel 230, forming trapezoidal shapes (more specifically, isosceles trapezoids in this example) with ends 240, 242. The lower sub-panel 230 is wider at the lower edge than at the upper edge, and the upper sub-panel 222 is wider at the upper edge than at the lower edge. In this example, the ends 240, 242 are inclined at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the upper edge 224 and the lower edge 232. As a result, the lower sub-panel 230 can rotate inwards so that the ends 240 are adjacent to each other but do not interfere with each other and are located in a common plane. Similarly, the upper sub-panel 222 can also rotate inwards so as to be located in a common plane without interference.

[0069] By providing a locking mechanism, the upper sub-panel 222 and the lower sub-panel 230 are maintained in the upright direction of FIG. 8, and the container 200 is maintained in the use state. The side panel 208 provides columnar strength to the container 200, which is important when stacked filled containers.

[0070] The trapezoidal sub-panels 222, 230 do not form a continuous wall of the container body 202 in the use state because their angled ends 240, 242 leave a space 244 therebetween at the upright apex of the container. To provide a sealed space for accommodating the contents 112, the container 200 further includes a flexible skirt 246 that extends from the lower panel 206 to the upper panel 226 and is disposed around and outside the side panel 108 as shown in FIG. 12. The skirt 246 includes a flexible sheet material. In this embodiment, the skirt 246 is composed of a fabric, but other forms of flexible membrane materials such as plastic or rubber sheets may be employed. In FIG. 8, it can be seen that the lower panel 206 has a peripheral upright portion 248 and the upper panel 226 also has a peripheral upright portion 250 in the same manner. The lower edge and the upper edge of the skirt 246 are fixed to each upright portion, for example, by adhesion, to hold the skirt 246 in a predetermined position.

[0071] When the container 200 is folded, it is desirable for the skirt 246 to be neatly folded to prevent wrinkles that can resist the movement of the upper panel 226 towards the lower panel 206. For this purpose, the skirt 246 is moored to the container body 202 in selected areas, whereby the skirt 246 is drawn inwardly together with the sub-panels 222, 230, enabling the skirt 246 to be neatly folded. The skirt 246 may be fixed, for example, to a hinge line 228 along the lower edge of the upper sub-panel 222. Alternatively, it may be attached to the outer surfaces of the sub-panels 222, 230 by adhesion or other means. The skirt 246 may include pre-formed fold lines so that it can be neatly folded at the apex of the container.

[0072] As described above, when the container 200 is stacked with other similar containers, it is desirable that the container 200 be aligned with the adjacent containers to maintain their alignment and facilitate orderly stacking. In the present embodiment, the lid 204 is provided with alignment features in the form of a raised region 252. The raised region 252 is rectangular in plan view in the present embodiment, but other shapes may also be suitable. On the lower side (not shown) of the lower portion 206, there are complementary recesses for receiving and aligning the raised region 252 of another container 200, whereby the stacked containers are aligned with each other.

[0073] The container 200 includes inflatable dunnage 256 for cushioning and / or disposing of the contents 112 within the container 200. In the present embodiment, the inflatable dunnage includes a two-layer flexible skin 258 (see particularly FIG. 12. However, only one of the skins 258 is visible because one overlaps and covers the other). The material of the skin can include a TPU-coated fabric or any other suitable film-like flexible gas-impermeable material. The inflatable cells 254 are formed between the skins 258 by seams 260 that connect one to the other along selected lines. The gaps in the seams allow the passage of fluid (gas or, in some embodiments, liquid) from one inflatable cell 254 to another inflatable cell 254, and all the cells can be inflated through a single port 270. The seams 260 can be formed, for example, by heat welding, adhesion, or any other suitable technique. This two-layer skin configuration is suitable for mass production, economical, and physically robust.

[0074] At least some of the seams 260 define a line along which the fold of the inflatable dunnage 256 is formed when the inflatable dunnage 256 is within the container body 202. Any fold across the inflatable cells 254 tends to straighten when the inflatable cells 254 are inflated by internal pressure, but the seam 260 can maintain flexibility. When viewed in plan view as in FIG. 12, the dunnage 256 can be folded along a portion of the seam 260 into a shape that generally conforms to the internal shape of the container body 202 and forms a geometric net that covers its inner surface. The lower dunnage panel 262 that conforms to the lower panel 106 of the container body 102 is defined by the seam 260a and is hinged through them to the side dunnage panel 264 that is folded upward to abut the side panel 108 of the container body 202. One of the side panels abuts the upper dunnage panel 266 at the seam 260b. The upper dunnage panel is adjacent to and located below the lid 104 of the assembled container 200. The side dunnage panel 264 has a V-shaped notch 268 to conform to the inclined ends 240, 242 of the sub-panels 222, 230 of the container body 202. As a result, the side dunnage panel 264 can be properly folded without leaving excess material at the upright apex of the container 100 when the container 200 is folded (this can cause bulkiness by wrinkling and thereby interfere with the folding operation).

[0075] Proper folding of the inflatable dunnage 256 during folding of the container 200 can also be facilitated by tethering the inflatable dunnage 256 to the container body 202. The tether may be provided only at selected lines or points. For example, the tether can be provided at selected vertices of the structure of the container body 202. Alternatively, the inflatable dunnage 256 can be adhered or fixed to the inner surface of the container body 202 and moved with them.

[0076] Container 200 includes a locking means 276 that can perform multiple functions. The locking means 276 is used to selectively and mechanically lock the lid 204 in the closed position to prevent the inadvertent release of the contents 112 (and in some cases, also prevent unauthorized access to the contents 112). Further, the locking means 276 cooperates with an exhaust port blocking means 278 (see FIG. 14) to automatically discharge pressure from the inflatable dunnage 256 when the lid 204 is unlocked. In some embodiments, the locking means 276 has a third function of maintaining the container 200 in a folded state.

[0077] There are various advantages to the automatic contraction of the inflatable dunnage 256 when the container 200 is opened. If the contents 112 are tightly embraced by the dunnage during inflation, the recipient of the container 200 may have difficulty pulling out the contents 112 without first contracting the dunnage, and there is even a risk of damaging the dunnage in the process. Also, if the pressure of the inflated dunnage is not released, there is a risk that the lid 204 may fly off, shake, or even cause injury when the lock is released. The automatic release of the pressure from the inflatable dunnage 256 reduces both risks.

[0078] The locking means 276 shown in FIG. 14 includes a locking member 280 that is coupled to the lid 204 via a pivot 282 and can be rotated by the user between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, while the lid 204 is closed, the latch portion 284 of the locking member 280 engages a complementary latch feature 286 of the container body 202 to hold the lid 204 in the closed position until the locking member 280 is rotated to the unlocked position and the lid 204 is released, as shown in FIG. 14.

[0079] The locking member 280 carries a stopper 288. The stopper 288 faces the container body 202 and is arranged to be aligned with the exhaust port 290. The exhaust port 290 is open to the outside of the container 200 when there is no stopper 288. The exhaust port 290 communicates with the inside of the inflatable dunnage 256. When the lid 204 is closed and the locking member 280 is moved to the locked position, the stopper 288 advances into the exhaust port 290 to block the exhaust port 290. Therefore, the pressure in the inflatable dunnage 256 can be maintained. By moving the locking member 280 to the unlocked position, the stopper 288 is withdrawn from the exhaust port 290, the exhaust port opens, and the pressure is released from the inflatable dunnage 256 to contract the inflatable dunnage 256. Therefore, the container 200 cannot be opened without contracting the inflatable dunnage 256.

[0080] Preparing the container 200 involves first placing the contents 112 inside, then closing and locking the lid 204, and then inflating the dunnage 256 to protect the contents 112. An arrangement enabling inflation of the dunnage 256 is shown in FIG. 15, which includes an inflation port 292 passing through the stopper 288, such that the exhaust port 290 also functions as an inflation port. The inflation port 292 can be closed to prevent gas leakage. For this purpose, a one-way valve may be provided, but in this embodiment, the inflation port 292 is simply configured as a narrow passage through the stopper 288, which receives an inflation needle joint and, when withdrawn, is sealed by its own elasticity.

[0081] In other embodiments, an expansion port is provided separate from the exhaust port 290. FIG. 16 shows such an arrangement, and in this example, first locking means 276a and second locking means 276b are used. The first locking means 276a is of the type already described and controls the blocking and opening of the exhaust port 290. The second locking means 276b is provided with a one-way valve, and an expansion port 292b protected under the locking member 280b of the second locking means 276b is incorporated when the second locking means 276b is in the locked position. In other embodiments, the expansion port is located in another area external to the container 200 and need not be associated with the locking means.

[0082] As described above, the locking means 276 can further serve to fix the container 200 in the folded state. FIG. 10 clarifies this aspect. It can be seen that the locking member 280c of the present embodiment has a second latch portion 294 that engages with complementary latch features of the lower panel 206. Thus, the locking member 280c couples the lid 204 to the lower panel 206 in the locked position, preventing them from separating and maintaining the container 200 in the folded state. In other embodiments, a mechanism separate from the locking means 276 can be provided to fix the container in the folded state.

[0083] Fixing the container 200 in the folded state makes handling and transportation very easy. If the container 200 is erected in whole or in part during rough handling such as that which cargo routinely receives, it will be more susceptible to damage and will occupy excessive space.

[0084] Since all components of the container 200 are configured to releasably engage with each other, even if damage occurs to one or more components, the damaged components can be removed and replaced without wasting the undamaged components.

[0085] Figures 17 and 18 show an alternative form of the locking means 300. Here, the movable locking member 302 is carried by one of the side panels 208 of the main body 202 instead of the lid 204 as in the previous embodiments, and is rotatable about an axis 304 that is substantially perpendicular to the side panel 208 that carries it. A tongue 306 that hangs down from the lid 204 includes an arcuate slot 308. When the lid 204 is locked, as shown in FIG. 17, a locking stub 310 of the locking member 302 engages the slot 308 to provide a locking action. When the locking member 302 is rotated, the locking stub 310 disengages from the slot 308, thereby unlocking the lid 204. The exhaust port 311 is on the axis 304 and is controlled by a rotary valve 312, so that by rotating the locking member 302 to unlock the lid 204, the valve 312 also opens and the inflatable dunnage 256 contracts.

[0086] Since the container has the same footprint (planar shape) in the used state and the folded state, the filled container 200 and the empty (folded) container 200 can be stored side by side without wasting space. For example, the folded container can be stacked on top of the filled container, or vice versa. Further, the depth of the container 200 is selected to be an integer multiple of the depth of the folded container 200. For example, without limitation, the container 200 can be three times as deep when in use as when folded. This makes it even easier to stack and store the containers in a space-efficient manner. For example, a shelf space sized to accommodate a standing container can instead accommodate three folded containers without wasting space.

[0087] The container 200 can be configured to provide evidence of tampering, particularly unauthorized opening. For this purpose, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the lid 204 and the side panel 208 are provided with openings 314 for receiving frangible members that can be simply composed of a loop (not shown) passing through both openings. The frangible member can include, for example, paper, string, cord, or yarn. The frangible member may be composed of a piece of paper with a self-adhesive panel, whereby the ends of the piece of paper can be passed through both openings 314, and then a part of the piece of paper can be fixed to another part by the self-adhesive panel to form a loop. In this arrangement, the opening of the lid 204 can only be made by breaking the frangible member or some other part of the container 200 in a way that attracts the user's attention.

[0088] FIGS. 19 to 27 show further forms that the container body can take. In each case, the container body is provided with inflatable dunnage and can be stored in a way that minimizes bulk. These figures are simplified, but according to one aspect of the present invention, each of these container bodies may be provided with one of the above-described types of locking means that automatically contracts the inflatable dunnage when the container is opened.

[0089] The foldable container 400 shown in FIGS. 19 to 21 is similar to the above-described container 200 in that it has a lid 404 and a lower panel 406 connected via a side panel 408 including an upper sub-panel 422 and a lower sub-panel 424, respectively. The sub-panels 422, 424 rotate inwards when the container 400 is folded (FIG. 20). The above-described container 200 used an external skirt to form a continuous enclosure, but this container 400 instead has a flexible panel 425 at the upright apex of the container 200 to cover the space between adjacent sub-panels 422 and 424. The flexible panel can form a continuous skirt disposed within the container body 402. The inflatable dunnage is shown at 456.

[0090] The foldable container 500 shown in FIGS. 22 to 24 is similar to the above-described container 200 in that it has a lid 504 and a lower panel 506 connected via side panels 508. However, in the container 500, both the lid 504 and the lower panel 506 are hinge-connected to the side panels 508. FIG. 23 shows them both in an open state. The side panels are joined to each other at the upright vertices 509, whereby the side panels 508 can rotate relative to each other. The container 500 can be folded by opening the lid 504 and the lower panel 506 and then rotating the side panels to a flat folded state.

[0091] The container 600 shown in FIGS. 25 to 27 is stackable rather than foldable. The container body 602 includes an upper body portion 601 and a lower body portion 603, each of which includes a base panel 605 and side walls 607 that branch away from the base panel 605 to form a tray-like structure. The upper body portion 601 and the lower body portion 603 are connected to each other via their respective peripheral flanges 609 as shown in FIG. 25 to form the container body, and each includes inflatable dunnage 656. The upper body portion and the lower body portion are separable from each other as shown in FIG. 27 and are formed so as to be stackable on each other as shown in FIG. 26. Therefore, a plurality of similarly formed containers 600 can be stacked and transported in a state where the volume is significantly reduced as compared with the assembled container. The deflated dunnage 656 remains in the body portions 601, 603 but has little effect on the resulting stacking depth.

[0092] Figures 28 and 29 show alternative forms of the inflatable dunnage 756. This is also formed from a pair of flexible skins 758 that are selectively stitched to form inflatable cells 754, and has a lower dunnage panel 762, a side dunnage panel 764, and an upper dunnage panel 766 joined via a seam line 765, thereby forming an integrally molded hinge between the dunnage panels.

[0093] The interior of any of the above types of containers can be partitioned using inflatable dunnage to form an inner wall that can be folded when contracted, so that the partition does not prevent stacking or folding of the containers when contracted.

[0094] A hindrance to the reuse of conventional containers, particularly shipping containers, is the labels attached to the containers. These labels are usually specific to a particular journey or function and often need to be removed or at least made less visible before reuse. This problem is addressed according to the present invention by providing a display module 800 including a rewritable display 802 in any or all of the above containers 100, 200, 400, 500, 600, 700. Specifically, the display 802 is electronically controlled. Although any suitable current or future display technology can be used, a low-power display is preferred for this application because it may be necessary to display information for a long time and it is not desirable to provide a large energy storage unit. A bistable display that can maintain the display with minimal or zero power input can be used. Suitable display technologies include LCDs, electrophoretic displays, and electrochromic displays.

[0095] The present invention does not impose any special restrictions on the nature of the information to be displayed. For example, it can include, but is not limited to, shipping labels, transport labels, carrier operation labels, customs and shipping type information, information related to the contents such as the dimensions of the contents 112, the weight of the contents 112, and / or the type of the contents 112. For example, it can indicate that the contents 112 contain dangerous goods, are fragile, heavy, contain other materials such as batteries or materials with explosion hazards, or are flammable.

[0096] The display module 800 can be configured to communicate with a separate computing device that can take any suitable form, including but not limited to mobile phones, laptops, computers, or computer networks. The communication can be performed via a wireless connection, for example, a connection compliant with the WiFi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard. The channels used for communication can be protected by encryption and / or other means known to those skilled in the art, and the user or the system may be allowed to input and / or update or configure the information on the display module 802.

[0097] The display module 800 eliminates the need to attach stickers or handwritten information such as address labels, shipping labels, customs, and other declarations to the containers 100, 200, 400, 500, 600, 700. Since the containers 100, 200, 400, 500, 600, 700 are lockable in a closed configuration, there is no need to close them with adhesive tapes or other materials that need to be removed before reuse. As a result, the containers 100, 200, 400, 500, 600, 700 can reduce the use and necessity of non-recyclable components and non-reusable components, thereby reducing the energy footprint and environmental problems.

[0098] When interpreting the specification, all terms should be interpreted as broadly as possible in context. In particular, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" refer non-exclusively to elements, components, or steps, and should be interpreted as indicating that the recited elements, components, or steps can be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps not explicitly recited. Terms relating to height or relative height such as "upper", "lower", "above", and "below" are used for convenience in both the specification and the claims, but of course the container can be arranged in any orientation.

[0099] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, other and further embodiments of the present invention can be devised without departing from the basic scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is determined by the following claims. The present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the present invention when combined with the information and knowledge available to the person skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A container, comprising: a container body forming an internal cavity for accommodating contents and having an opening through which the contents can be inserted into and removed from the internal volume; a closure member movable relative to the container body between a closed position closing the opening and an open position where the opening is not covered; a locking member movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and configured to lock the closure member in its closed position when in the locked position, and when moved to the unlocked position, configured to release the closure member and allow the closure member to move to its open position; an inflatable dunnage disposed within the internal volume and configured to expand upon injection of a gas or a liquid; an exhaust port communicating with the inflatable dunnage; exhaust port blocking means having a closed state closing the exhaust port and an open state opening the exhaust port; wherein the locking member is configured to cooperate with the exhaust port blocking means, and by moving the locking member from its locked position to its unlocked position, the exhaust port blocking means changes from its closed state to its open state, whereby the pressure within the inflatable dunnage is automatically released through the exhaust port before the container opens.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the locking member is rotatably connected to one of the container body and the closure member.

3. The container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the exhaust port blocking means includes a plug carried by the locking member and arranged to be inserted into the exhaust port by an operation of moving the locking member to its locked position and withdrawn from the exhaust port by an operation of moving the locking member to its unlocked position.

4. The container according to claim 3, wherein the plug incorporates an inflation port through which the inflatable dunnage can be inflated while the plug is in the exhaust port.

5. The container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein an inflation port separate from the exhaust port communicates with the inflatable dunnage for injecting a gas.

6. The container according to claim 2, wherein the exhaust port blocking means includes a rotary operating valve connected to the locking member, and the rotary operating valve is opened and closed by the rotational movement of the locking member.

7. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the closing body includes a lid hinged to the container body so as to be movable between the closed position and the open position.

8. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which is reversibly and repeatedly reconfigurable between a use state and a folded state configured to contain contents, and the volume of the container is smaller in the folded state than in the use state.

9. The container body includes an upper panel, a lower panel, and a plurality of foldable side walls connecting the upper panel to the lower panel, so that the container is repeatedly and reversibly reconfigurable between a use state and a folded state, the side walls being upright in the use state, whereby an internal volume is defined between the upper panel, the lower panel, and the side walls, and the side walls being folded in the folded state to move the upper panel toward the lower panel. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a rewritable electronic display visible from the outside.

11. The container according to claim 10, wherein the electronic display is part of a display module configured to communicate with a computing device via a secure communication channel, and information to be displayed is transmissible to the display module.

12. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising upper alignment features and complementary lower alignment features, such that when two identically formed containers are stacked, one of the upper alignment features is aligned with the other lower alignment feature to maintain an orderly alignment of the two containers.

13. The container body comprises at least two separable parts, which, when assembled with each other, define an internal volume, and at least one of which is configured to be stackable with another identically formed part, the container according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The container according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the separable parts includes the base panel having upright peripheral walls branching away from each other in a direction away from the base panel.

15. A container comprising an inflatable dunnage and a container body, an upper panel, a lower panel, a plurality of foldable side walls connecting the upper panel to the lower panel, an opening, whereby the container is repeatedly and reversibly reconfigurable between a use state and a folded state, the side walls being upright in the use state, whereby an internal cavity is defined between the upper panel, the lower panel, and the side walls, into which contents can be inserted through the opening, and in the folded state, the side walls are folded to move the upper panel towards the lower panel, reducing the volume of the container.

16. The container according to claim 15, wherein the inflatable dunnage includes a back-to-back sheet of flexible impermeable material selectively stitched to form inflatable cells.

17. The container according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the inflatable dunnage is disposed within the container body, folded together with the container body during contraction, and fixed or moored to the container body to fold neatly.

18. The container according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the opening between the side walls is covered by at least one flexible panel that can be folded when the side walls are folded.

19. The container according to any one of claims 15 to 17, further comprising a tubular skirt surrounding the side walls, with its upper peripheral edge connected to the upper panel and its lower peripheral edge connected to the lower panel.

20. At least one of the side walls includes an upper panel and a lower panel, the upper panel having an upper edge hingedly connected to the upper panel and a lower edge hingedly connected to the upper edge of the lower panel, and the lower panel having a lower edge hingedly connected to the lower panel. The container according to any one of claims 15 to 19.

21. Each of the side walls includes an upper panel and a lower panel, the upper panel having an upper edge hingedly connected to the upper panel and a lower edge hingedly connected to the upper edge of the lower panel, the lower panel having a lower edge hingedly connected to the lower panel, and the upper panel and the lower panel each having a trapezoidal shape, whereby the upper panel can be rotated inwardly to a common plane without interfering with each other, and the lower panel can be folded inwardly to a common plane without interfering with each other. The container according to any one of claims 15 to 19.

22. The depth in the use state is substantially an integral multiple larger than 1 times the depth in the folded state. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 21.

23. The container is provided with a user-operable and releasable mechanism for locking the container in the folded state. The container according to any one of claims 15 to 22.

24. The container body further includes a closure body movable between a closed position for closing the opening to prevent access to the internal cavity and an open position where the opening is not covered, and the container further includes a locking member attached to the container body and movable between a locked position and a released position with respect to the container body. a. When the closure body is in the closed position, the locking member is configured to lock the closure body in the closed position while in the locked position and release the closure body when in the released position. b. When the container is in a folded state, the locking member is configured to lock the container in the folded state when in the locked position and release the container to reconfigure it to the use state when in the released position. The container according to any one of claims 15 to 23.

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