This application relates to caskets, and particularly, to lid assemblies for use with caskets.
Burial or cremation containers, referred to herein collectively as caskets, often represent an expensive element of a traditional funeral. Costs associated with traditional caskets are attributable in part to the material and labor cost of forming a traditional casket of stained wood or finished metal material. Accordingly, one way to reduce casket (and hence funeral) costs includes the use of caskets made from alternative materials, such as paperboard, unfinished wood and composite materials. Such caskets are particularly suitable for cremation, and often provide one of the only viable alternatives in some circumstances.
To keep costs low, the caskets made from alternative materials must be easy to produce, requiring few materials and reduced labor. Additionally, the caskets made from alternative materials must have suitable durability to provide at least the basic functionality of traditional caskets, namely enclosing and supporting the deceased during transportation and presenting the deceased at ceremonies or gatherings.
While making caskets from alternative materials reduces the cost of the casket, it remains desirable to retain an appealing aesthetic appearance of the casket, especially if the casket is to be used in a traditional ceremony and/or viewing. Thus, there exists a need for caskets made from materials that look more like traditional caskets. Several products on the market attempt combine these attributes
One feature of alternative material caskets that can affect the aesthetic appeal is the casket lid. While inexpensive paperboard caskets may use flat, shoebox style lids, such lids typically lack traditional appeal. To have the aesthetic appearance of a traditional casket lid, the casket lid made from alternative materials may include traditional features such as moldings and a domed or vaulted shape. Such a casket lid must be provided in a form which enables the lid to fit over the casket for use and provides an efficient shape to accommodate the deceased within the casket. To function as a traditional casket lid, the casket lid made from alternative materials must have sufficient structural integrity to withstand pressure applied to the top of the casket during use.
There is a need, therefore, for a casket lid formed out of alternative materials that addresses the needs for reduced cost, aesthetically pleasing presentation, and sufficient structural integrity without inherent difficulties associated with known casket lids formed out of alternative materials. It would be advantageous if this casket lid formed out of alternative materials required few materials and reduced labor. It would also be advantageous if this casket lid formed out of alternative materials looked and functioned as a traditional casket lid.
The present invention addresses the above-stated needs by providing a casket lid assembly that includes angled side panels and a top panel, all coupled to teach other via a frame defined by a series of notched lower rails and upper rails. The resulting structure can be readily formed from alternative materials such as multidensity fiberboard and corrugated fiberboard.
In one embodiment, a casket lid assembly includes lower rails, upper rails, side panels and a top panel. Each lower rail has a lower surface configured to be received on a respective side of a casket base, and has an upper side that includes an angled notch. Each of the upper rails includes a first notch and a second notch. Each of the side panels has a first edge received within the angled notch of a respective lower rail, and an opposite second edge received within the first notch of the respective upper rail. The top panel has a first edge received within the second notch of the first upper rail and an opposite second edge received within the second notch of the second upper rail.
In accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure, a casket having the above-identified lid assembly is provided.
The above described features and advantages, as well as others, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. While it would be desirable to provide a lid assembly for a casket that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features, the teachings disclosed herein extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the following description and drawings, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above-mentioned advantages.
As shown in
The lid assembly 108 is preferably formed primarily of corrugated paper, particle board, and/or sheet goods material, such as lauan or plywood and is generally formed with a vaulted shape to accommodate the deceased. The lid assembly 108 is configured to fit over the base portion 104 when the deceased is contained within the base portion 104. The lid assembly 108 has the structure generally described below in connection with
In general reference to
The frame 128 of the head portion 120 is hingedly coupled to the base portion 104, and the frame of the foot portion is hingedly coupled to the base portion 104, such that each of the head portion 120 and the foot portion 124 is able to independently rotate about respective hinges relative to the base portion 104. Thus, as shown in
The covering 132 are preferably formed of a cloth or fabric material, such as, for example, crepe, and is positioned so as to cover the inside 112 of the casket arrangement 100 to present a smooth, aesthetically pleasing surface within the casket arrangement 100.
When the frame 128 of the head portion 120 and the frame of the foot portion 124 are both rotated downwardly to cover the base portion 104, the casket arrangement 100 is in a closed position, wherein only the outside 116 of the casket arrangement 100 is visible. The head portion 120 and the foot portion 124 are configured to align adjacent to each other at a central area 136, located near the middle of the casket arrangement 100, when the casket arrangement 100 is in the closed position such that the lid assembly 108 presents a smooth, continuous shape. When the frame 128 of the head portion 120 and the frame of the foot portion 124 are both rotated upwardly, away from the base portion 104, the casket arrangement 100 is in an opened position. When the frame 128 of the head portion 120 is rotated upwardly, away from the base portion 104, and the frame of the foot portion 124 is rotated downwardly to cover the base portion 104, the casket arrangement 100 is in a partially-opened position, as shown in
The head portion 120 and the foot portion 124 are substantially identical to one another in arrangement and configuration except that, in some embodiments, a length L1 of the head portion 120 is shorter than a length L2 of the foot portion 124. However, in other embodiments, the length L1 of the head portion 120 is substantially the same as the length L2 of the foot portion 124. Because the head portion 120 and the foot portion 124 are substantially identical, the frames 128 are also substantially identical to one another.
The frame 128 includes a front lower molding rail 140, a back lower molding rail 144, an end lower molding rail 148, a front side panel 152, a back side panel 156, an end panel 160, a front upper molding rail 164, a back upper molding rail 168, an end upper molding rail 172, and a top panel 176. The covering 132 is configured to substantially cover the respective frame 128 on the inside 112 of the casket arrangement 100 to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the lid assembly 108 when the casket arrangement 100 is in the opened or partially-opened position. Further detail regarding the construction of the frame 128 and the various rails and panels thereof, is provided below in connection with
More specifically,
As discussed above, the lower molding rails 140, 144, 148, the panels 152, 156, 160 (shown in
Turning now to
Continuing with
The front panel 152 is preferably formed of ¼″ Lauan plywood and is a thin, planar rectangular prism including a lower edge 216, an upper edge 220, an inward surface 224, and an outward surface 228. The lower edge 216 is arranged opposite and parallel to the upper edge 220 and the inward surface 224 is arranged opposite and parallel to the outward surface 228 such that the edges 216, 220 and the surfaces 224, 228 form four faces of the rectangular prism. The front panel 152 is configured to be received within the groove 204 in the front lower molding rail 140 by bringing the lower edge 216 of the front panel 152 into contact with the first notch surface 208 of the groove 204 and bringing the inward surface 224 of the front panel 152 into contact with the second notch surface 212 of the groove 204. When the front panel 152 is received within the groove 204, the groove 204 supports the front panel 152 so as to orient the front panel 152 at a particular angle relative to the front lower molding rail 140. The angle is determined by the desired shape of the lid assembly 108. In one embodiment, the angle is preferably approximately 45 degrees. The front panel 152 is able to be attached to the front lower molding rail 140 by, for example, gluing and/or stapling the inward surface 224 of the front panel 152 to the second notch surface 212 of the groove 204 and gluing and/or stapling the lower edge 216 of the front panel 152 to the first notch surface 208 of the groove 204.
As shown in
Returning to
The ledge 240 of the front upper molding rail 164 is configured to receive the front panel 152 by contacting the upper edge 220 of the front panel 152 with the edge engaging portion 248 of the ledge 240 and contacting the outward surface 228 of the front panel 152 with the surface engaging portion 252 of the ledge 240. When the front panel 152 is received within the ledge 240, the front panel 152 is able to be attached to the front upper molding rail 164 by, for example, gluing and/or stapling the outward surface 228 of the front panel 152 to the surface engaging portion 252 of the ledge 240 and gluing and/or stapling the upper edge 220 of the front panel 152 to the edge engaging portion 248 of the ledge 240.
The top panel 176 is a rectangular prism including a front edge 264, a back edge 268, an end edge 272, an open end edge 276, an inward surface 280, and an outward surface 284. The front edge 264 and the back edge 268 are arranged opposite and parallel to one another, the end edge 272 and the open end edge 276 are arranged opposite and parallel to one another, and the inward surface 280 and the outward surface 284 are arranged opposite and parallel to one another. The top panel 176 is configured to be received in the notch 244 of the front upper molding rail 164 by contacting the front edge 264 of the top panel 176 with the edge engaging portion 256 of the notch 244 and contacting the inward surface 280 of the top panel 176 with the surface engaging portion 260 of the notch 244. When the top panel 176 is received within the notch 244, the top panel 176 can then be attached to the front upper molding rail 164 by, for example, gluing and/or stapling the front edge 264 of the top panel to the edge engaging portion 256 of the notch 244 and gluing and/or stapling the inward surface 280 of the top panel 176 to the surface engaging portion 260 of the notch.
To form each of the head portion 120 and the foot portion 124 of the lid assembly 128, the panels 152, 156, 160, the lower molding rails 140, 144, 148, the upper molding rails 164, 168, 172, and the top panel 176 are coupled together to form the frame 128. The covering 132 is then attached to the frame 128 in the manner mentioned above. More specifically, the lower molding rails 140, 144 and 148 are coupled to each other to form a bottom frame, and then the panels 152, 156, 160 and the upper molding rails 164, 166 and 172 are assembled onto the bottom frame.
In another embodiment, the head portion 120 and the foot portion 124 of the lid assembly 108 can each be formed by joining elements to form front, back, and end portions separately, bringing those portions together, joining the top panel 176 to those portions to form the frame 128, and subsequently attaching the covering 132 to the frame 128. The front portion is formed by coupling the front lower molding rail 140, the front panel 152, and the front upper molding rail 164. In particular, the lower edge 216 of the front panel 152 is coupled with the first notch surface 208 of the groove 204 of the front lower molding rail 140 and the inward surface 224 of the front panel 152 is coupled with the second notch surface 212 of the groove 204 of the front lower molding rail 140 to couple the front panel 152 to the front lower molding rail 140. The upper edge 220 of the front panel 152 is coupled to the edge engaging portion 248 of the ledge 240 of the front upper molding rail 164 and the outward surface 228 of the front panel 152 is coupled to the surface engaging portion 252 of the ledge 240 of the front upper molding rail 164 to couple the front panel 152 to the front upper molding rail 164.
Likewise, the back portion is formed by coupling the back lower molding rail 144, the back panel 156, and the back upper molding rail 168 in the same manner and the end portion is formed by coupling the end lower molding rail 148, the end panel 160, and the end upper molding rail 172 in the same manner. The front, back, and end portions are then coupled (e.g. at lower molding rails 140, 144, 148) to one another such that the front portion and the back portion are opposite and parallel to one another and the end portion is coupled to and perpendicular to both the front portion and the back portion opposite the open edge 178. The top panel 176 is then received within the notches 244 on each of the upper molding rails 164, 168, and 172. In particular, the inward surface 280 of the top panel 176 is coupled to the surface engaging portions 260 of the notches 244 of each of the upper molding rails 164, 168, 172 and the front edge 264 of the top panel 176 is coupled to the edge engaging portion 256 of the notch 244 of the front upper molding rail 164, the end edge 272 of the top panel 176 is coupled to the edge engaging portion 256 of the notch 244 of the end upper molding rail 172, and the back edge 268 of the top panel 176 is coupled to the edge engaging portion 256 of the notch 244 of the back upper molding rail 168. After the top panel 176 is attached, the covering 132 is then coupled to the frame 128 to form either the head portion 120 or the foot portion 124 of the lid assembly 108.
In an alternative embodiment, the frame 128 can be formed by joining elements to form panel, lower molding rail, and upper molding rail portions separately, bringing those portions together, joining the top panel 176 to those portions to form the frame 128, and subsequently attaching the covering 132 to the frame 128. The panel portion is formed by coupling the front panel 152, the back panel 156, and the end panel 160 to one another such that the front panel 152 and the back panel 156 are opposite and parallel to one another and the end panel 160 is coupled to and perpendicular to both the front panel 152 and the back panel 156 and opposite the open edge 178. Likewise, the lower molding rail portion is formed by coupling the front lower molding rail 140, the back lower molding rail 144 and the end lower molding rail 148 in the same manner and the upper molding rail portion is formed by coupling the front upper molding rail 164, the back upper molding rail 168, and the end upper molding rail 172 in the same manner.
The lower molding rail portion is coupled to the panel portion by coupling the lower edges 216 of the panels 152, 156, 160 with the edge engaging portions 208 of the grooves 204 of the respective lower molding rails 140, 144, 148 and by coupling the inward surfaces 224 of the panels 152, 156, 160 with the surface engaging portions 212 of the grooves 204 of the respective lower molding rails 140, 144, 148. The panel portion is coupled to the upper molding rail portion by coupling the upper edges 220 of the panels 152, 156, 160 with the edge engaging portions 248 of the ledges 240 of the respective upper molding rails 164, 168, 172 and by coupling the outward surfaces 228 of the panels 152, 156, 160 with the surface engaging portions 252 of the ledges 240 of the respective upper molding rails 164, 168, 172. The top panel 176 is then received within the notches 244 on each of the upper molding rails 164, 168, and 172 in the same manner as described with respect to the previous embodiment. After the top panel 176 is attached, the covering 132 is then coupled to the frame 128 to form either the head portion 120 or the foot portion 124 of the lid assembly 108.
In at least one embodiment, when the head portion 120 or the foot portion 124 is formed as shown in
It will be appreciated that the panel and rail design described above may readily be adapted in a single casket lid design. In other words, the side panels 152, 156 and top panel 176 may extend substantially the entire length of the casket base 104. In such a design, the lid would be include two opposing end panels (and associated rail structures) having substantially the same structure as the end panel 160, lower rail 148 and upper rail 172 of
It will further be appreciated that the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative, and that those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations and modifications that incorporate the principles of the present invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/898,179, filed Oct. 31, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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4730370 | Elder | Mar 1988 | A |
7380316 | Sauder et al. | Jun 2008 | B1 |
7594306 | Beaulne et al. | Sep 2009 | B2 |
20130167336 | Boots et al. | Jul 2013 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20150121670 A1 | May 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61898179 | Oct 2013 | US |