Foldable crate

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns collapsible crates (10) that comprise a base member (12), a front wall (20) pivotally articulated along a bottom edge thereof to a front edge of the base member, a back wall (18) pivotally articulated along a bottom edge thereof to a back edge of the base member; a first side wall (14) pivotally articulated along a bottom edge thereof to a first side edge of the base member and a second side (16) wall pivotally articulated along a bottom edge thereof to a second side edge of the base member; and a locking mechanism disposed at a top portion of each of the side walls, configured for arresting engagement side edges of a side wall and neighboring side edges of the front wall and back wall, respectively.

1 . A collapsible crate comprising a base member, a front wall pivotally articulated along a bottom edge thereof to a front edge of the base member, a back wall pivotally articulated along a bottom edge thereof to a back edge of the base member; a first side wall pivotally articulated along a bottom edge thereof to a first side edge of the base member and a second side wall pivotally articulated along a bottom edge thereof to a second side edge of the base member; and a locking mechanism disposed at a top portion of each of the side walls, configured for arresting engagement side edges of a side wall and neighboring side edges of the front wall and back wall, respectively; said crate configurable between an erect position at which the four walls are disposed upright, and a collapsed position at which the four walls are disposed parallel over the base member,
 wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking bar pivotally along its longitudinal axis and extending within a locking bar receiving groove disposed across a top portion of a side wall; the locking bar comprising at each end a radially projecting locking tab extending beyond a side edge portion of the side wall, and a locking bar manipulation portion for rotatably manipulating the locking bar about a longitudinal axis thereof, between a locked position and an unlocked position; each of the front wall and the back wall comprises at a top side edge portion a locking tab arresting portion configured with locking tab path and a locking tab obstruction arrangement, wherein at an erect position an opening of the locking tab path extends opposite the locking tab;   and wherein at the locked position the locking tab is obstructed and prevented from displacing through opening of the locking tab path, and at the unlocked position the locking tab is free to displace through the opening of the locking tab path,   wherein the locking bar manipulation portion is a handle-like portion laterally extending from the bar and disposed external to an outside surface of the side wall, and configured with a gripping portion, wherein at the locked position said gripping portion extends within a carrying handle opening of the crate.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein the front wall is pivotally articulated along said bottom edge thereof to a top edge of a raised front segment extending at said front edge of the base member, and the back wall is pivotally articulated along said bottom edge thereof to a top edge of a raised back segment extending at said back edge of the base member. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein the side walls are of equal height, and the front wall is shorter than the back wall, however wherein at the erect position the four walls extend to the same height, with an equally leveled, coextending, continuous top edge. 
     
     
         5 .- 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible crate of  claim 2 , wherein the raised back segment is higher than the raised front segment. 
     
     
         8 . The collapsible crate of  claim 2 , wherein the thickness of the base member plus thickness of a side wall plus thickness of the back wall plus thickness of the front wall are equal to the height of raised back segment or to the height of the raised front segment. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The collapsible crate of  claim 2 , wherein the raised front segment has the same height as the raised back segment, wherein the height of the front wall plus the height of the back wall is equal to or less than width of side walls. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein at the collapsed position the back wall and the front wall are disposed coplanar over the side walls, and wherein a height of front wall plus the height of the back wall is equal to or less than a width of side walls. 
     
     
         15 . The collapsible crate of  claim 2 , wherein the front side wall is shorter than the back side wall and the raised front segment is longer than the raised back segment. 
     
     
         16 . The collapsible crate of  claim 2 , wherein the height of the front side wall plus the height of the raised front segment is equal to the height of the back wall plus the height of the raised back segment. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein side edges of the front wall and the back wall are configured with a longitudinal lip, whereby at the erect position the longitudinal lips overlap over a neighboring side edge of a neighboring side wall. 
     
     
         21 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein a cross section of the locking tab has a first axis and a second axis intersecting said first axis, and wherein the first axis is longer than the second axis, and at the locked position said second axis faces the opening of the locking tab path and at the unlocked position said second axis faces the opening of the locking tab path. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein at the locked position the locking bar is snapingly arrested, to thereby prevent unintentional displacement from the locked position. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein the locking tab obstruction arrangement comprises at least one locking tab obstructing member projecting into the locking tab path. 
     
     
         31 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein the locking tab obstruction arrangement comprises a first locking tab obstructing member and a second locking tab obstructing member, facing one another. 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the locking tab is less than the width of the opening of the locking tab path. 
     
     
         34 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the locking tab is similar or less than a diameter of the locking bar. 
     
     
         35 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein the length of the locking tab along the first axis is greater than the height of the arresting portion. 
     
     
         36 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein the locking bar is snapingly received within the locking bar receiving groove at the top portion of the side wall. 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein the locking bar is configured for simultaneous locking a side wall with the neighboring back wall and front wall. 
     
     
         39 . The collapsible crate of  claim 1 , wherein an interconnecting arrangement is configured between the side edges of the two side walls, and the respective neighboring side edges of the back wall and front wall. 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . (canceled)