U.S. patent application number 12/611897 was filed with the patent office on 2011-05-05 for twist collapsible bag.
Invention is credited to WEN-TSAN WANG.
Application Number | 20110103719 12/611897 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43925522 |
Filed Date | 2011-05-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110103719 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WANG; WEN-TSAN |
May 5, 2011 |
TWIST COLLAPSIBLE BAG
Abstract
A twist collapsible bag includes a collapsible bag body and a
collapsible frame structure, which supports the collapsible bag
body in shape, having a plurality of annular frame members
horizontally arranged at different elevations and a plurality of
vertical support rods vertically and equiangularly arranged between
each two adjacent annular frame members and kept apart from the
respective annular frame members at a predetermined gap such that
when twisting the annular frame members relative to one another,
the vertical support rods are biased from vertical to horizontal,
thereby collapsing the twist collapsible bag into a flat
condition.
Inventors: |
WANG; WEN-TSAN; (Taipei
city, TW) |
Family ID: |
43925522 |
Appl. No.: |
12/611897 |
Filed: |
November 3, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/105 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 33/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/105 |
International
Class: |
B65D 33/00 20060101
B65D033/00 |
Claims
1. A twist collapsible bag, comprising a collapsible bag body and a
collapsible frame structure supporting said collapsible bag body in
shape, said collapsible bag body comprising a plurality of annular
frame members horizontally arranged at different elevations and a
plurality of vertical support rods vertically and equiangularly
arranged between each two adjacent annular frame members and kept
apart from the respective annular frame members at a predetermined
gap, wherein twisting one said annular frame member relative to
another said annular frame member causes the vertical support rods
therebetween to be biased from vertical to horizontal.
2. The twist collapsible bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein each
said annular frame member is made by bending a metal wire rod into
a circular shape and then welding the two ends of the metal wire
rod together.
3. The twist collapsible bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein each
said annular frame member is made by bending a metal wire rod into
a circular shape and then fixedly fastening the two ends of the
metal wire rod together with an adhesive.
4. The twist collapsible bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein each
said annular frame member is injection-molded from plastics.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to collapsible bags and more
particularly, to a twist collapsible bag, which can be collapsed
into a flat condition by means of a twisting operation.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A collapsible storage box is known comprising a collapsible
rectangular box body made of a flexible sheet material and a
collapsible frame structure supporting the collapsible rectangular
box body in shape. The collapsible frame structure comprises a
plurality of first horizontal rod members and a plurality of second
horizontal rod members arranged at four sides at two different
elevations and a plurality of vertical rod members set in between
the first horizontal rod members and the second horizontal rod
members in four corners. When not in use, the collapsible storage
box can be twisted into a flat condition. This design of
collapsible storage box has a complicated structure because it is
formed of a big number of component parts. Further, the limited
storage space of this design of collapsible storage box may be
unable to satisfy the user's needs.
[0005] Further, U.S. Ser. No. 11/221,689 discloses a collapsible
multi-stack storage container, which comprises a plurality of
rectangular shell members made of a flexible sheet material and
vertically connected in a string, a flexible bottom panel made of
the same flexible sheet material and stitched to the bottom side of
the bottom rectangular shell member, a plurality of horizontal
flexible rod members respectively horizontally fastened to the four
sides of each of the rectangular shell members around the top
opening thereof, a plurality of vertical rods respectively
vertically affixed to the four corners of each rectangular shell
member and a hard bottom board supported on the flexible bottom
panel. By means of twisting the horizontal flexible rod members at
each rectangular shell member, the collapsible multi-stack storage
container is collapsed into a flat condition. This design of
collapsible multi-stack storage container utilizes a big number of
horizontal rod members, complicating the structure and increasing
the manufacturing cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to
provide a twist collapsible, which has a simple structure and can
easily be collapsed into a flat condition by means of a twisting
operation.
[0007] To achieve this and other objects of the present invention,
a twist collapsible bag comprises collapsible bag body made of a
strong and tough sheet member and a collapsible frame structure
supporting the collapsible bag body in shape. The collapsible frame
structure comprises a plurality of annular frame members
horizontally arranged at different elevations and a plurality of
vertical support rods vertically and equiangularly arranged between
each two adjacent annular frame members and kept apart from the
respective annular frame members at a predetermined gap. By means
of twisting the annular frame members relative to one another, the
vertical support rods are biased from vertical to horizontal,
thereby collapsing the twist collapsible bag into a flat
condition.
[0008] Further, each annular frame member of the collapsible frame
structure can be made by bending a metal wire rod into a circular
shape and then welding the two ends of the metal wire rod
together.
[0009] Alternatively, each annular frame member of the collapsible
frame structure can be made by bending a metal wire rod into a
circular shape and then fixedly fastening the two ends of the metal
wire rod together with an adhesive.
[0010] Alternatively, the annular frame members of the collapsible
frame structure can be directly made from plastics by injection
molding.
[0011] Further, the collapsible bag body has double-layer wall
structure, and the frame structure is embedded in the double-layer
wall structure of the collapsible bag body and affixed thereto with
stitches.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a collapsible frame
structure for a twist collapsible bag in accordance with a first
embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a collapsible frame
structure for a twist collapsible bag in accordance with a second
embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a collapsible frame
structure for a twist collapsible bag in accordance with a third
embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a collapsible frame
structure for a twist collapsible bag in accordance with a fourth
embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the twist
collapsible bag in accordance with the second embodiment of the
present invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a schematic plain side view of the twist
collapsible bag in accordance with the second embodiment of the
present invention.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing of the second embodiment of
the present invention, showing the first annular frame member
twisted relative to the second annular frame member.
[0019] FIG. 8 corresponds to FIG. 7, showing the second annular
frame member twisted relative to the third annular frame
member.
[0020] FIG. 9 illustrates the collapsed condition of the twist
collapsible bag in accordance with the second embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0021] A twist collapsible bag in accordance with the present
invention can be a single stack design, double-stack design,
triple-stack design or any design having more than four stacks
wherein the frame structure in each stack is collapsible, including
one annular frame member horizontally disposed at each of the top
and bottom sides and a plurality of vertical support rods
vertically and equiangularly arranged between the two annular frame
members.
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a collapsible frame structure for a twist
collapsible bag in accordance with a first embodiment of the
present invention. According to this embodiment, the collapsible
frame structure comprises a first annular frame member 1A, a second
annular frame member 1B and a third annular frame member 1C
horizontally arranged at three different elevations, one first
vertical support rod 2A and one second vertical support rod 2B
vertically arranged between the first annular frame member 1A and
the second annular frame member 1B at two opposite sides and
another first vertical support rod 2A and another second vertical
support rod 2B vertically arranged between the second annular frame
member 1B and the third annular frame member 1C at two opposite
sides. The vertical support rods 2A and 2B are kept apart from the
adjacent annular frame members 1A and/or 1B and/or 1C at a
predetermined gap.
[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates a collapsible frame structure for a twist
collapsible bag in accordance with a second embodiment of the
present invention. According to this embodiment, the collapsible
frame structure comprises a first annular frame member 1A, a second
annular frame member 1B and a third annular frame member 1C
horizontally arranged at three different elevations, one first
vertical support rod 2A, one second vertical support rod 2B and one
third vertical support rod 2C vertically and equiangularly arranged
between the first annular frame member 1A and the second annular
frame member 1B, and another first vertical support rod 2A, another
second vertical support rod 2B and another third vertical support
rod 2C vertically and equiangularly arranged between the second
annular frame member 1B and the third annular frame member 1C at
two opposite sides. The vertical support rods 2A, 2B and 2C are
kept apart from the adjacent annular frame members 1A and/or 1B
and/or 1C at a predetermined gap.
[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates a collapsible frame structure for a twist
collapsible bag in accordance with a third embodiment of the
present invention. According to this embodiment, the collapsible
frame structure comprises a first annular frame member 1A, a second
annular frame member 1B and a third annular frame member 1C
horizontally arranged at three different elevations, one first
vertical support rod 2A, one second vertical support rod 2B, one
third vertical support rod 2C and one fourth vertical support rod
2D vertically and equiangularly arranged between the first annular
frame member 1A and the second annular frame member 1B, and another
first vertical support rod 2A, another second vertical support rod
2B, another third vertical support rod 2C and another fourth
vertical support rod 2D vertically and equiangularly arranged
between the second annular frame member 1B and the third annular
frame member 1C at two opposite sides. The vertical support rods
2A, 2B, 2C and 2D are kept apart from the adjacent annular frame
members 1A and/or 1B and/or 1C at a predetermined gap.
[0025] FIG. 4 illustrates a collapsible frame structure for a twist
collapsible bag in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the
present invention. According to this embodiment, the collapsible
frame structure comprises a first annular frame member 1A and a
second annular frame member 1B horizontally arranged at different
elevations, one first vertical support rod 2A, one second vertical
support rod 2B and one third vertical support rod 2C vertically and
equiangularly arranged between the first annular frame member 1A
and the second annular frame member 1B. The vertical support rods
2A, 2B and 2C are kept apart from the annular frame members 1A and
1B at a predetermined gap.
[0026] The number of the annular frame members and the number of
vertical support rods are determined subject to the pressure the
twist collapsible bag to be received, however at least two vertical
support rods must be set between each two adjacent annular frame
members to provide sufficient support strength.
[0027] FIG. 5 illustrates a twist collapsible bag using the
collapsible frame structure of the aforesaid second embodiment. As
illustrated, the twist collapsible bag further comprises a bag body
3 made from a certain thickness of strong and tough fabric (for
example, canvass) supported on the collapsible frame structure. The
bag body 3, when extended out, is shaped like a single open end
container, having an opening 30 at one end, namely, the top end
thereof. The bag body 3 is a double-layer wall structure. The first
annular frame member 1A is embedded in the double-layer wall
structure of the bag body 3 around the opening 30 and secured
thereto with stitches; the third annular frame member 1C is
embedded in the double-layer wall structure of the bag body 3
around the closed bottom end of the bag body and secured thereto
with stitches; the second annular frame member 1B is embedded in
the double-layer wall structure of the bag body 3 between the first
annular frame member 1A and the third annular frame member 1C and
secured thereto with stitches; the vertical support rods 2A, 2B and
2C are embedded in the double-layer wall structure of the bag body
3 and stitched thereto at the selected locations. When the twist
collapsible bag is extended out, the annular frame members 1A, 1B
and 1C are horizontally disposed at different elevations, and the
vertical support rods 2A, 2B and 2C are vertically disposed at
different elevations and equiangularly spaced between each two
adjacent ones of the vertically spaced annular frame members 1A, 1B
and 1C (see FIG. 6), thus, the collapsible frame structure supports
the bag body 3 in shape for holding things. When not in use, twist
the first annular frame member 1A relative to the second annular
frame member 1B to bias the respective vertical support rods 2A, 2B
and 2C downwards (see FIG. 7), and then twist the second annular
frame member 1B relative to the third annular frame member 1C to
bias the respective vertical support rods 2A, 2B and 2C downwards
(see FIG. 8), thus, the twist collapsible bag is collapsed into a
flat condition where the annular frame members 1A, 1B and 1C are
received together (see FIG. 9). When wishing to use the twist
collapsible bag again, twist the collapsed twist collapsible bag in
the reversed direction.
[0028] In the aforesaid various embodiments of the present
invention, each annular frame members can be made by bending a
metal wire rod into a circular shape and then fixedly fastening the
two ends of the metal wire rod together by means of welding or with
an adhesive. Alternatively the annular frame members can be
injection-molded from plastics.
[0029] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention
is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
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