Safety lock and release handle

Abstract

The present invention relates to safety lock and release handles for use in foldable containers. The handles are rotatable to unlock container panels from each other for folding. The handles comprise safety lock assemblies to prevent inadvertent rotation and unlocking of the container panels. The present invention also relates to foldable storage container devices that incorporate the safety lock and release handles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A safety lock and release handle device comprising:
 a rotatable grip connected to at least one elongate and rod-like cam, wherein rotation of the grip retracts the at least one cam towards the grip; and   a safety lock assembly housed within the grip, the safety lock assembly comprising a button connected to at least one elongate pin having a length that extends outside of the grip, wherein pressing the button retracts the length of the at least one pin into the grip;   wherein the length of the at least one pin extending outside of the grip locks rotation of the grip, and retracting the length of the at least one pin into the grip unlocks rotation of the grip.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the safety lock assembly comprises a spring connected to the button and the at least one pin. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the connection between the button and the at least one pin is formed by an angled surface on the interior of the button and an angled surface on the at least one pin, wherein each of the angled surfaces are parallel to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is integrated into a panel of a foldable container. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one cam extends through the panel of the foldable container and into an adjacent panel of the foldable container, such that retraction of the at least one cam towards the grip removes the at least one cam from the adjacent panel. 
     
     
         6 . A foldable storage container device comprising:
 a planar bottom panel having a substantially rectangular shape with four edges;   two planar side panels hingedly connected to the bottom panel at a first opposing pair of edges; and   two planar end panels hingedly connected to the bottom panel at a second opposing pair of edges;   wherein the side panels and end panels are foldable onto the bottom panel in a folded configuration, the side panels and end panels are lockable to each other in an upright unfolded configuration, and each end panel comprises a handle that is rotatable to unlock the end panels from the side panels.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the device is stackable in the unfolded configuration and in the folded configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the end panels comprise retractable cams connected to the handles, the cams extending into the side panels to lock the side panels and the end panels to each other. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein rotation of the handles retracts the cams from the side panels to unlock the end panels from the side panels. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the cams comprise an angled surface, such that rotation of the handles rotates the cams to slidably engage the angled surface to a post positioned within the end panels to retract the cams in a lateral direction away from the side panels. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein rotation of the handles is locked by retractable pins extending from the handles into the end panels. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the handles comprise push buttons that retract the pins to permit rotation of the handles. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the pins comprise an angled surface and the buttons comprise an angled surface in alignment with the angled surface of the pins, such that pushing the buttons slidably engages the angled surface of the buttons to the angled surface of the pins to retract the pins in a lateral direction away from the end panels. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the bottom panel, the side panels, the end panels, and combinations thereof comprise one or more rigid corrugations. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the bottom panel, the side panels, the end panels, and combinations thereof comprise one or more perforations, voids, or mesh patterns. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the edges shared between the bottom panel and the side panels have a length that is longer, shorter, or the same as a length of the edges shared between the bottom panel and the end panels. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the side panels and the end panels each have a height that is equal to half of or less than half of a length of the edges shared between the bottom panel and the side panels, a length of the edges shared between the bottom panel and the end panels, or both. 
     
     
         18 . A foldable storage container device comprising:
 a planar bottom panel having a first pair of opposing edges hingedly connected to two planar side panels and a second pair of opposing edges hingedly connected to two planar end panels, wherein the end panels are lockable to the side panels in an upright position by at least one retractable cam extending from each end panel to each side panel;   a handle attached to each end panel, the handle being rotatable to retract the at least one cam from the side panels;   a safety lock release mechanism positioned within each handle, the safety lock release mechanism comprising a push button adjacent to at least one spring-loaded retractable pin, wherein at least one pin extends from the handle to the end panel to lock the handle from rotating, and the push button retracts at least one pin from the end panel to free the handle for rotation.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the device is stackable in the unfolded configuration and in the folded configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the bottom panel, the side panels, the end panels, and combinations thereof comprise one or more perforations, voids, or mesh patterns.