U.S. patent application number 11/617726 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-03 for collapsible storage device.
Invention is credited to Kuang-Huan Fu.
Application Number | 20080156798 11/617726 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39582407 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080156798 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fu; Kuang-Huan |
July 3, 2008 |
COLLAPSIBLE STORAGE DEVICE
Abstract
The storage device contains two U-shaped lower frame elements,
two inverse U-shaped upper frame elements, a casing member, and
some resilient element. The lower frame elements are hinged such
that they can be closed towards or expanded away from each other.
The two upper frame elements have their fork legs jointed to the
fork arms of the lower frame elements, respectively. The engagement
of the fork legs and arms is buffered by the resilient elements
which are provided inside the fork legs, respectively.
Inventors: |
Fu; Kuang-Huan; (Su-ao Chen,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEONG C LEI
PMB # 1008, 1867 YGNACIO VALLEY ROAD
WALNUT CREEK
CA
94598
US
|
Family ID: |
39582407 |
Appl. No.: |
11/617726 |
Filed: |
December 29, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 37/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/6 |
International
Class: |
B65D 6/16 20060101
B65D006/16 |
Claims
1. A collapsible storage device comprising: a plurality of
resilient elements; two inverse U-shaped upper frame elements
wherein each of the fork legs has a second sleeve at the end that
houses a resilient element inside; two U-shaped lower frame
elements wherein the fork arms of one lower frame element are
hinged to the fork arms of the other lower frame element,
respectively, such that said lower frame elements are capable of
being closed towards or expanded away from each other, and said
upper frame elements are joined to the said lower frame elements,
respectively, by having the fork arms sleeved inside said second
sleeves of said upper frame elements, respectively; a box-shaped
casing member housing and braced by said assembled upper and lower
frame elements;
2. The collapsible storage device according to claim 1, wherein
each of said upper frame element contains two parts, each
containing a portion of the top beam of said upper frame element
and one of the fork legs; and the two parts are joined together by
a first sleeve which is fixedly configured on one of said
parts.
3. The collapsible storage device according to claim 1, wherein
said casing member is made of cloth or other soft material.
Description
(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to storage devices,
and more particularly to a storage device that can be collapsed
into a flat object for easier carry and storage when not in
use.
(b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] A storage box usually has a rigid form such that, even when
it is not in use and empty, it still takes up some space.
Therefore, some assembly-type or collapsible storage boxes or
devices are developed. However, these collapsible storage devices
usually contain quite some parts and are structured rather
complicated. Most of the time, a novice user has to spend
significant amount of effort and time to get the device assembled
and disassembled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a
novel collapsible storage device, which when not in use, can be
collapsed into a flat object for easier carry and storage.
[0004] The storage device contains two U-shaped lower frame
elements, two inverse U-shaped upper frame elements, a casing
member, and some resilient element. The form arms of one lower
frame element are hinged to the fork arms of the other lower frame
element, respectively, such that the two lower frame elements can
be closed towards or expanded away from each other. The two upper
frame elements have their fork legs jointed to the fork arms of the
lower frame elements, respectively. The engagement of the fork legs
and arms is buffered by the resilient elements which are provided
inside the fork legs, respectively.
[0005] To assemble the storage device, the assembled frame
structure is placed inside the casing member and the two lower
frame elements (along with the upper frame elements) are expanded
to brace the casing member. To disassemble the storage device, the
storage device is compressed laterally from two opposing sides
towards each other. AS the casing member collapses and the two
lower frame elements close to each other, the resilient elements
allows the fork arms to sink deeper into the fork legs so that the
storage device is turned completely into a flat object.
[0006] 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.
[0007] Many other advantages and features of the present invention
will become manifest 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
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view showing the storage
device according to an embodiment of the present invention when the
storage device is assembled.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective schematic view showing the frame
structure inside the storage device of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective schematic view showing the assembly
of the upper and lower frame elements of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a sectional schematic view showing the frame
structure of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a perspective schematic view showing the storage
device of FIG. 1 when it is completely collapsed.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a sectional schematic view showing the frame
structure of FIG. 1 when the storage device is collapsed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] The following descriptions are 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 be
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.
[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the storage device according to an
embodiment of the present invention mainly contains two U-shaped
lower frame elements 1, two inverse U-shaped upper frame elements
2, a casing member 3, and a number of resilient elements 4. The two
lower frame elements 1 are arranged such that their two fork arms
are pointed upwards and the bottom beams are on the ground.
Furthermore, the fork arms of one lower frame element 1 are hinged
to the fork arms of the other lower frame element 1, respectively,
such that the two lower frame elements 1 can be closed towards or
expanded away from each other.
[0016] Each upper frame element 2 contains two parts, each
containing a portion of the top beam 21 and one of the fork legs
23. The two parts are joined together by a first sleeve 22 which is
fixedly configured on one of the parts. Each leg 23 has a second
sleeve 24 at the lower end and, at the upper end, the leg 23 is
bended vertically upward to meet with the top beam 21. The
resilient elements 4 (such as a helix spring) are provided inside
the second sleeves 24, respectively.
[0017] The casing member 3, having a box shape, is made of cloth or
other soft material. Two horizontal pockets 31 are provided on the
inside of the casing member 3 end to end along two opposing top
edges, respectively. Two fastening elements 32 (such as a hook and
loop fastener) are affixed on the outside of the two pockets 31 at
corresponding locations.
[0018] To assemble the storage device, the two parts of an upper
frame element 2 have their portions of the top beam 21 inserted
into a pocket 31 from the pocket 31's two end openings,
respectively. The two parts are then joined together to tightening
the first sleeve 22 inside the pockets 31. Subsequently, the two
upper frame elements 2 have their fork legs 23 jointed to the fork
arms of the lower frame elements 1, respectively. Then, the two
lower frame elements 1 (along with the upper frame elements 2) are
expanded to brace the casing member 3. As shown in FIG. 4, a bottom
board 5 can be placed inside the expanded casing member 3 at the
bottom to support the objects stored inside.
[0019] To disassemble the storage device, the bottom board 5 is
first removed. Then, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the storage device
is compressed laterally from two opposing sides towards each other.
As the casing member 3 collapses and the two lower frame elements 1
close to each other, the resilient elements 4 allow the fork arms
of the lower frame element 1 to sink deeper into the second sleeves
24. As the storage device is turned completely into a flat object,
the fastening elements 32 are attached to each other to tightly
hold the storage device in its collapsed form. As such, the
collapsed storage device can be easily carried and stored, without
taking up much space.
[0020] 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.
[0021] 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, modification, 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.
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