Storage bin for bulk commodities

Abstract

A high-capacity bin for storing loose agricultural commodities, for example, fruits and vegetables, has a basket, four risers, and two foot straps. The sidewalls of the basket have a curved contour in the form of a dome with waves superimposed on the dome along the entire length of the dome, to strengthen the sidewalls against compressive, hydraulic, and buckling forces. The four risers are removably attached to the four corners of the basket, and have a webbed pattern of ridges, and valleys defined between the ridges, to stiffen the risers. The foot straps are removably retained by posts and sockets formed on the bottom of the basket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A storage bin for bulk commodities, the storage bin comprising: a basket having four corners and a bottom and adapted to store bulk commodities, the basket comprising a floor, four sidewalls rising from the floor, and a rim disposed at a top portion of the four sidewalls, each of the four sidewalls having a curved contour in the form of a dome with waves superimposed on the dome along the entire length of the dome. 
     
     
         2 . The storage bin of  claim 1  further comprising four risers removably attached to the four corners of the basket, each of the four risers comprising a pillar portion and a riser post portion disposed atop the pillar portion, the riser post portions adapted to be received and removably retained in corner rim sockets formed in the rim of the basket. 
     
     
         3 . The storage bin of  claim 1  further comprising two foot straps, each of the foot straps comprising a first foot socket, a foot post, and a second foot socket, the first foot socket and second foot socket disposed at respective ends of the foot strap, the foot post disposed at the center of the foot strap, and a first strap member connecting the first foot socket with the foot post, and the second strap member connecting the second foot socket with the foot post, the first foot socket and second foot socket adapted to receive and removably retain corner posts disposed on the bottom of the basket, the foot post adapted to be received and removably retained in side sockets formed on the bottom of the basket between the corner posts. 
     
     
         4 . The storage bin of  claim 2 , wherein the pillar portion of the riser has a webbed pattern of ridges, and valleys defined between the ridges, to stiffen the pillar portion against compressive, hydraulic and buckling forces. 
     
     
         5 . The storage bin of  claim 1  wherein the basket further comprises four corner rim sockets formed in the rim of the basket, four corner posts disposed on the bottom of the basket, and four side sockets disposed on the bottom of the basket between the corner posts. 
     
     
         6 . The storage bin of  claim 1  wherein the four sidewalls comprise two long sidewalls having a length, and two short sidewalls having a length less than the length of the two long sidewalls. 
     
     
         7 . The storage bin of  claim 1  wherein the waves superimposed on the dome of a sidewall comprise three peaks or four peaks. 
     
     
         8 . The storage bin of  claim 6  wherein the waves superimposed on the dome of the short sidewalls comprise three peaks and the waves superimposed on the dome of the long sidewall comprise four peaks. 
     
     
         9 . The storage bin of  claim 1  wherein each sidewall has an area and comprises a flat portion or portions, and a curved portion or portions, and a total area of the curved portion or portions comprises over 30%, over 40%, over 50%, over 60%, over 70%, over 80%, over 90%, or 100% of the area of the sidewall. 
     
     
         10 . The storage bin of  claim 1  wherein the floor has a curved contour in the form of a dome with waves superimposed on the dome along the entire length of the dome. 
     
     
         11 . The storage bin of  claim 6  wherein the domes of the long sidewalls are concave and the domes of the short sidewalls are convex. 
     
     
         12 . A kit for constructing a storage bin for bulk commodities, the kit comprising:
 a basket having four corners and a bottom and adapted to store bulk commodities, the basket comprising a floor, four sidewalls rising from the floor, and a rim disposed at a top portion of the four sidewalls, each of the four sidewalls having a curved contour in the form of a dome with waves superimposed on the dome along the entire length of the dome, four corner rim sockets formed in the rim of the basket, four corner posts disposed on the bottom of the basket, and four side sockets disposed on the bottom of the basket between the corner posts;   four risers removably attachable to the four corners of the basket, each of the four risers comprising a pillar portion and a riser post portion disposed atop the pillar portion, the riser post portions adapted to be received and removably retained in the corner rim sockets; and   two foot straps, each of the foot straps comprising a first foot socket, a foot post, and a second foot socket, the first foot socket and second foot socket disposed at respective ends of the foot strap, the foot post disposed at the center of the foot strap, and a first strap member connecting the first foot socket with the foot post, and the second strap member connecting the second foot socket with the foot post, the first foot socket and second foot socket adapted to receive and removably retain corner posts of the basket, the foot post adapted to be received and removably retained in the side sockets of the basket.   
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 12 , wherein the pillar portion of the riser has a webbed pattern of ridges, and valleys defined between the ridges, to stiffen the pillar portion against compressive, hydraulic, and buckling forces. 
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 12 , wherein the four sidewalls comprise two long sidewalls having a length, and two short sidewalls having a length less than the length of the two long sidewalls. 
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 12 , wherein the waves superimposed on the dome of a sidewall comprise three peaks or four peaks. 
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the waves superimposed on the dome of the short sidewalls comprise three peaks and the waves superimposed on the dome of the long sidewall comprise four peaks. 
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 12 , wherein each sidewall has an area and comprises a flat portion or portions, and a curved portion or portions, and a total area of the curved portion or portions comprises over 30%, over 40%, over 50%, over 60%, over 70%, over 80%, over 90%, or 100% of the area of the sidewall. 
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the domes of the long sidewalls are concave and the domes of the short sidewalls are convex.