GB2451752A - Collapsible container - Google Patents

Abstract

A container 1 of fabric and/or plastics construction is of elongate, rectangular open-top form having upstanding end-walls 3 with foldable side-walls 4 and base 2. Pairs of transverse walls 5 attached to the side-walls 4 and base 2 divide the container 1 between the end-walls 3 into individual compartments 6A-6D which, when the dividing-walls 5 are standing upright, are open to receive entry of items, e.g. a handbag (8, Fig.2), for storage. Closing of a compartment 6 involves pulling the top edges 9 of its dividing-walls 5 into mutual abutment and securing them together using, for example, a zip-fastener or flap. For portability, the container may be divisible in length into equal or unequal selectively-detachable portions to enable the use of a few of the compartments separately from the remainder. The container 1 as a whole and/or the divided-off portion may have a carrying-handle or strap.

Description

Containers This invention relates to containers, and is concerned especially with containers that may be used for the protection and storage of items.

According to the present invention there is provided a container of elongate configuration that is divided into a plurality of compartments along its length for receiving individual items for storage, and wherein each of the compartments is selectively closable and the container is collapsible lengthwise at least throughout the extent of such of the compartments that for the time being are empty of said items.

The container of the invention may be used for long-or short-term storage of items and, for example in this regard, may be used to store personal items in a bedroom cupboard or wardrobe, or on a shelf or elsewhere. Alternatively, the container may be provided in a portable form for use within, or as, an article of luggage, for transporting such items, or provision may be made for division of its length into two (equal or unequal) portions to enable the use of a few of the compartments separately from the remainder, for portability.

The compartments may be rectangular and may be defined between individual pairs of dividing-walls that extend transversely of the container at spaced positions along its length. Each compartment may have an open top that is selectively closable.

Closing may be by means of a respective lid, or each compartment may be closed by pulling the tops of its pair of dividing-walls together into abutment with one another and retaining them selectively in that condition closed over any item entered in the respective compartment. The walls may be retained pulled together in this way with their tops in mutual abutment using, for example, snap-fastener fittings, a zip- fastener linking the top edges of the walls together, or one or more fabric fasteners (involving interengaging hook and loop fibres) of the kind sold under the Registered Trade Mark VELCRO. Alternatively, the walls may be retained pulled together by one or more flaps that fold over the abutting top-edges from one of the walls for releasable attachment to the other wall. The releasable attachment of the one or more flaps may be by fastening means in the form of, for example, a clip, a snap-fastener fitting or a fabric fastener of the kind referred to above.

The container may have upstanding end-walls and a pair of substantially-parallel side-walls that extend the length of the container between the end-walls. Further, the container may have a base and the base and side-walls may include folds to enable the container to be collapsed lengthwise. The facility for collapsing the container at least throughout the extent of such of the compartments which are for the time being empty, has advantage for accommodating the container partially collapsed, when in use for storage, and may allow for it to be collapsed flat when empty. This is of especial importance when the container is provided in a portable form, and enables the container to be fully collapsible when empty so that in these circumstances it can be more readily accommodated within, for example, a suitcase or other article of luggage.

A container in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the container according to the invention with a portion of a side-wall of one compartment of the container broken away; and Figure 2 is a sectional side-view taken on the line 11-11 of a part of the length of the container of Figure 1.

The example of container to be described is for protection and storage, whether long-or short-term, of a lady's handbags, and in this respect may, for example, be located for convenience of access in a bedroom cupboard or wardrobe. However, it is to be understood that although the container of this example is to be described in the specific context of storing a lady's handbags, it may be readily used as well, or alternatively, for storage of other items whether personal or otherwise.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the container 1 is of an elongate, rectangular open-top construction involving a base 2 with upstanding end-walls 3 and substantially-parallel side-walls 4.

Rectangular dividing-walls 5 extend between the side-walls 4 transversely of the length of the container 1 between the end-walls 3 to define a multiplicity of compartments 6 along such length. In the example illustrated, the container 1 is divided by individual pairs of the dividing-walls 5 into only four compartments 6A to 6D, but there may be, for example, up to ten or more individual compartments 6.

The base 2 and side-walls 4, to which the dividing-walls 5 are attached, include folds 7 to enable the container 1 to be collapsed on itself lengthwise in folding it flat end-wall 3 to end-wall 3. This enables the container 1 to be easily stored and transported when not in use, and also enables it to be extended partially or fully from the collapsed condition as required according to the number of items to be stored. In the condition illustrated in Figure 1, the container 1 is extended to substantially its full length with its compartments 6A and 6D at either end, open, and its intermediate compartments 6B and 6C both closed.

The two walls 5 defining each individual compartment 6 stand substantially upright from the base 2 when that compartment is open to receive entry of a handbag or other item for storage; this is illustrated in Figure 1 in the case of compartments 6A and 6D. When any of the compartments 6 is to be closed following entry of, for example, a handbag 8 therein, the top edges or margins 9 of the defining pair of dividing-walls 5 are pulled towards one another over the handbag 8 to close it in; this is illustrated especially in Figure 2, where handbags 8 are shown contained within closed compartment 6B and 60. The margins 9 of the two walls 5 are brought into mutual abutment and secured together using, for example, a zip-fastener or flap (neither shown) that extends across the width of the container 1. The handbags 8 as closed in within their individual compartments GB and 60 of the container 1 are kept clean and secure, and each can be readily retrieved from storage simply by opening the zip-fastener or flap, and lifting the handbag 8 from the relevant compartment.

The container 1 may be constructed, for example, of fabric and/or plastics materials. Where fabric and/or plastics materials are used, these are preferably of a heavy-duty form, and the end-walls 3, and possibly the side-walls 4 and/or the dividing-walls 5, may be backed or lightly reinforced so as to be able to stand upright. Transparent plastics may be used for at least some of the walls 4 and 5.

A container constructed in a similar manner to the container 1 described above, and having perhaps just two, three or four compartments, may be utilised where ease of portability is required. In these circumstances a handle may be provided linking the two end-walls 3 of the container to facilitate carrying. Also a cover, strap or flap attached to one of the end-walls 3 may extend the length of the container for retention to the other end-wall 3 over the top of the container.

Retention may be by means of an adjustable fastener that allows the end-walls 3 to be pulled in towards one another without compression of the contained handbags, in reduction of the effective length of the container.

As a possible alternative, the container may have provision for division of its length into two (equal or unequal) portions to enable the use of a few of the compartments separately from the remainder, for easier portability. For exanple, where the container has more than, say, five compartments, it may have provision for dividing of f a short portion comprising two compartments from the longer, remaining portion of its length.

The divided-off portion may have its own carrying-handle or strap, and the two portions may be releasably attached to one another by fabric fastenings or press-studs.

Claims (11)

1. Clailn8: 1. A container of elongate configuration that is divided into a plurality of compartments along its length for receiving individual items for storage, and wherein each of the compartments is selectively closable and the container is collapsible lengthwise at least throughout the extent of such of the compartments that for the time being are empty of said items.
2. 2. A container according to Claim 1 wherein the compartments are rectangular and are defined between individual pairs of dividing- walls that extend transversely of the container at spaced positions along its length.
3. 3. A container according to Claim 2 wherein each compartment has an open top that is selectively closable.
4. 4. A container according to Claim 3 wherein closing of each compartment is by pulling the tops of its pair of dividing-walls together into abutment with one another and retaining them selectively in that condition closed over any item entered in the respective compartment.
5. 5. A container according to Claim 4 wherein the dividing-walls are retained pulled together with their tops in mutual abutment using snap-fastener fittings, a zip-fastener linking the top edges of the walls together, or one or more fabric fasteners.
6. 6. A container according to Claim 4 wherein the dividing-walls are retained pulled together in mutual abutment by one or more flaps that fold over the abutting top-edges from one of the walls for releasable attachment to the other wall.
7. 7. A container according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the container has upstanding end-walls and a pair of substantially_parali side-walls extending the length of the container between the end-walls.
8. 8. A container according to Claim 7 wherein the container has a base, arid the base and the side-walls include folds to enable the container to be collapsed lengthwise.
9. 9. A container according to Claim 8 wherein the dividing-walls are attached to the base and the side-walls.
10. 10. A container according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 including provision for division of the container in length into two equal or unequal portions to enable the use of a few of the compartments separately from the remainder.
11. 11. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.