IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,863,971
Granted Patent B2
US 8,863,971 · App. 13/537,210 · Granted Oct 21, 2014

Crate with retractable wall

Inventors: Mauricio D. Cavalcante (Atlanta, GA); John Bobel Zelek (Los Angeles, CA); William P. Apps (Alpharetta, GA); Ryan C. Meers (West Chester, PA)
Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
B65D11/1833B65D25/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,863,971
App. No.
13/537,210
Granted
Oct 21, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A crate includes a base and a plurality of walls including a front wall. The front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position. In some embodiments, the front wall includes a frame, a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is hingeably connected to the frame and the second portion is hingeably connected to the first portion.

Claims (27)

1. A crate comprising:

a base; and

a plurality of walls including a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of opposed side walls pivotably connected to a periphery of the base such that the front wall, the rear wall and the side walls are selectively pivotable between a collapsed position on the base and an upright use position, wherein the front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position, and wherein the front wall includes a frame, a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion each including a horizontal wall portion and a pair of arms, wherein the first portion is hingeably connected to the frame by a first hinge and includes an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein the second portion is hingeably connected to the first portion at a second hinge spaced away from the first hinge and spaced between the upper edge and the lower edge of the first portion, wherein the second hinge is at outer ends of the pair of arms of the second portion.

2. The crate of claim 1 wherein the arms of the second portion extend upward from the horizontal portion of the second portion when the front wall is in the closed position and when the front wall is in the retracted, open position.

3. The crate of claim 2 wherein the arms of the first portion extend downward from the horizontal portion of the first portion when the front wall is in the closed position and wherein the arms of the first portion extend upward from the horizontal portion of the first portion when the front wall is in the retracted, open position.

4. The crate of claim 3 wherein the second hinge is connected to the arms of the first portion between the horizontal portion of the first portion and the hinged connection of the first portion to the frame.

5. The crate of claim 4 wherein the horizontal portion of the first portion is spaced vertically above the horizontal portion of the second portion when the front wall is in the closed position.

6. The crate of claim 5 wherein the horizontal portion of the first portion is at substantially the same height as the horizontal portion of the second portion when the front wall is in the open, retracted position.

7. A crate comprising:

a base; and a plurality of walls including a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of opposed side walls pivotably connected to a periphery of the base such that the front wall, the rear wall and the side walls are selectively pivotable between a collapsed position on the base and an upright use position, wherein the front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position, and wherein the front wall includes a frame, a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion each including a horizontal wall portion and a pair of arms, wherein the first portion is hingeably connected to the frame by a first hinge and includes an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein the second portion is hingeably connected to the first portion at a second hinge spaced away from the first hinge and spaced between the upper edge and the lower edge of the first portion, wherein the front wall includes a third portion hingeably connected to the second portion and hingeably connected to the frame.

8. A crate comprising:

a base; and

a plurality of walls connected to the base, the plurality of walls including a front wall, wherein the front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position, the front wall including a frame, a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, the first portion hingeably connected to the frame by a first hinge and the second portion hingeably connected to the first portion by a second hinge and to the third portion by a third hinge, the third portion hingeably connected to the frame by a fourth hinge, wherein when the front wall is in the closed position the second hinge is farther from the base than the first hinge and an uppermost edge of the first portion is farther from the base than an uppermost edge of the second portion.

9. The crate of claim 8 wherein the first portion, the second portion and the third portion each include a horizontal wall portion and a pair of arms.

10. A crate comprising:

a base; and

a plurality of walls connected to the base, the plurality of walls including a front wall, wherein the front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position, the front wall including a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, wherein the first portion is hingeably connected to the crate by a first hinge and the second portion is hingeably connected to the first portion by a second hinge and to the third portion by a third hinge, wherein when the front wall is in the closed position the second hinge is farther from the base than the first hinge and an uppermost edge of the first portion is farther from the base than an uppermost edge of the second portion, wherein the first portion, the second portion and the third portion each include a horizontal wall portion and a pair of arms, wherein the arms of the second portion extend upward from the horizontal portion of the second portion when the front wall is in the closed position and when the front wall is in the retracted, open position.

11. The crate of claim 10 wherein the arms of the first portion extend downward from the horizontal portion of the first portion when the front wall is in the closed position and wherein the arms of the first portion extend upward from the horizontal portion of the first portion when the front wall is in the retracted, open position.

12. The crate of claim 11 wherein the front wall includes a frame and the arms of the first portion are connected to the frame at the first hinge, the second hinge connects the arms of the second portion to the arms of the first portion between the horizontal portion of the first portion and the first hinge.

13. A crate comprising:

a base; and

a plurality of walls including a front wall, wherein the front wall includes a frame, a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion each include a horizontal wall portion and a pair of arms, wherein the first portion is hingeably connected to the frame and the second portion is hingeably connected to the first portion, wherein the arms of the second portion are hingeably connected to the arms of the first portion between the horizontal portion of the first portion and the hinged connection of the first portion to the frame.

14. The crate of claim 13 wherein the front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position, wherein the arms of the second portion extend upward from the horizontal portion of the second portion when the front wall is in the closed position and when the front wall is in the retracted, open position.

15. The crate of claim 14 wherein the arms of the first portion extend downward from the horizontal portion of the first portion when the front wall is in the closed position and wherein the arms of the first portion extend upward from the horizontal portion of the first portion when the front wall is in the retracted, open position.

16. The crate of claim 13 wherein the front wall further includes a third portion having a horizontal wall portion and a pair of arms, the horizontal wall portion of the third portion hingeably connected to the horizontal wall portion of the second portion, the arms of the third portion hingeably connected to the frame.

17. The crate of claim 16 further including a rear wall and a pair of opposed side walls and wherein the front wall, the rear wall and the side walls are pivotably connected to a periphery of the base such that the front wall, the rear wall and the side walls are selectively pivotable between a collapsed position on the base and an upright use position.

18. The crate of claim 13 further including a rear wall and a pair of opposed side walls and wherein the front wall, the rear wall and the side walls are pivotably connected to a periphery of the base such that the front wall, the rear wall and the side walls are selectively pivotable between a collapsed position on the base and an upright use position.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2012
From: CAVALCANTE, MAURICIO D.; ZELEK, JOHN BOBEL; APPS, WILLIAM P.; MEERS, RYAN C.
To: REHRIG PACIFIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 028599/0556 →
Continuity (5)
Provisional Application 61502847 · Jun 29, 2011
Provisional Application 61507917 · Jul 14, 2011
Provisional Application 61530389 · Sep 1, 2011
Provisional Application 61550892 · Oct 24, 2011
Related Publication 20130001223A1 · Jan 3, 2013