Collapsible storage container

The present invention relates to a collapsible storage container, and more particularly to a storage container that could be extended into a stably standup state for holding different items therein or collapsed into a flat state to occupy only a small space to enable convenient storage, package, and transport at reduced cost.

A storage container is designed to provide a specific internal space for holding different items therein, and therefore has a fixed volume. The internal space of the storage container has direct relation to the overall volume of the storage container. When the internal space is large, the storage container would have a relatively large overall volume, too.

It is known freight is an important part of the total cost of a product. The conventional storage container is usually a fixed type box that could not be collapsed and therefore occupies a relatively large space when being stored, packed, and transported and inevitably increases the warehousing and transporting costs thereof.

There is commercially available a box-type storage container formed from pivotally connected metal wire nets. While this type of storage container is collapsible to reduce an overall volume occupied by it, the storage container in an erected state has weak structural strength and tends to sway. Moreover, since there are many large through holes on the metal wire nets, the storage container formed from such metal wire nets fails to provide good shielding function to the stored items. Therefore, such collapsible storage container with metal wire nets and weak structural strength can only be applied to some small organizers for holding non-important items.

In view of the big space occupied by the conventional fixed-type storage container and the weak structure of the conventional collapsible metal wire net container, it is tried by the inventor to develop a collapsible storage container that could be collapsed into a flat state to occupy only a small space and be conveniently and economically stored, packed, and transported, or be extended into a stably standup state for holding different items.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible storage container that can be collapsed into a flat state to largely reduce the space occupied by the container and thereby facilitates convenient and economical storage, package, and transport thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible storage container that can be extended from a collapsed state into a stably standup state for holding different items therein.

To achieve the above and other objects, the collapsible storage container according to the present invention includes a bottom, a top, a left, and a right panel pivotally turnably connected to one another to form a rectangular frame.

The bottom panel is provided at left and right front ends with an upward projected substantially T-shaped tenon each, and the left and right panels are provided at respective lower front end with a T-shaped mortise. When the left and right panels are pivotally turned into an upright position and moved forward relative to the bottom panel, the two T-shaped tenons on the bottom panel are received in the T-shaped mortises on the left and right panels to firmly hold the left and right panels in place relative to the bottom panel. Similarly, the top panel is provided at left and right front ends with a downward projected reverse T-shaped tenon each, and the left and right panels are provided at respective upper front end with a reverse T-shaped mortise. When the left and right panels are pivotally turned into an upright position and moved forward relative to the top panel, the two reverse T-shaped tenons on the top panel are received in the reverse T-shaped mortises on the left and right panels to firmly hold the left and right panels in place relative to the top panel.

In the collapsible storage container of the present invention, the bottom panel is provided at left and right rear ends with a reverse T-shaped mortise each, and the left and right panels are provided at respective lower rear end with a downward extended reverse T-shaped tenon. When the left and right panels are pivotally turned into an upright position and moved forward relative to the bottom panel, the two downward reverse T-shaped tenons on the left and right panels are received in the reverse T-shaped mortises on the bottom panel to more firmly hold the left and right panels in place relative to the bottom panel. Similarly, the top panel is provided at left and right rear ends with a T-shaped mortise each, and the left and right panels are provided at respective upper rear end with an upward extended T-shaped tenon. When the left and right panels are pivotally turned into an upright position and moved forward relative to the top panel, the two upward T-shaped tenons on the left and right panels are received in the T-shaped mortises on the top panel to more firmly hold the left and right panels in place relative to the top panel.

The collapsible storage container of the present invention in a standup position may have a back panel and a door mounted to a rear and a front open side of the rectangular frame, respectively, so that a closed receiving space may be defined in the storage container.

On or more shelves or drawers may also be provided in the storage container of the present invention to increase the uses thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a collapsible storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention in a fully erected state;

FIG. 2 shows a left and a right panel of the collapsible storage container of FIG. 1 may be moved rearward relative to a top and a bottom panel of the container to enable subsequent collapse thereof;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the storage container of FIG. 1 in a fully erected state;

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