Patent Application
20170297762
Storage containers are generally well known in the art and entire retail outlets have been established directed towards products for organizing, storing, and packing away items that would otherwise create clutter. Such storage containers fall within certain categories. Some containers are rigid to withstand items stored within, as well as provide durability and structure for stacking multiple containers. Almost of these types of rigid containers are cumbersome when not in use, meaning they use as much space when not in use as they do when being used. Other containers overcome the downside of occupying space when not in use by being collapsible, and most are soft-sided and/or expandable; however, they tend to lack the durability and structure of the rigid container, therefore lack the ability to be stacked. Moreover, containers are either transparent or semi-transparent so that the user may view what is stored within the container, or the container is opaque and the user must deface the container with markers and the like to indicate the contents. Even more problematic is if a user wishes not to deface an opaque storage container, then the user must access each container until they locate the desired unit.
What is needed and disclosed by the present disclosure is a collapsible container article with a dedicated writing surface. The disclosed article comprises; the structure and durability of a rigid container, the convenience of storage when not in use by being collapsible, and convenient for a user to identify the contents by comprising a dedicated writable surface to indicate the nature of the contents or other information.
Among various exemplary embodiments, the present article comprises a collapsible storage container with a dedicated writing surface comprising; a flexible bottom panel, flexible side panels, flexible front and rear panels, and a flexible top panel. An interior of the container further comprises a plurality of rigid plastic panels expandable for proximate placement to at least one of each of the flexible bottom, side, front ear and top panels. An exterior of at least the of the flexible bottom, side, front, rear and top panels comprises a dedicated writing surface capable of receiving writing by a writing instrument, where in the dedicated writing surface is preferably erasable.
In a preferred exemplary embodiment, a collapsible container article comprises flexible bottom, top, front and rear panels; and flexible first side and second side panels. The article further comprises a plurality of internal rigid plastic panels; wherein rear, front and top internal rigid plastic panels are respectively integrated to the flexible rear panel, the flexible front panel and the flexible top panel. An internal rigid plastic first side panel couples at a first side plastic panel edge to as first side intersection between the flexible first side panel and the flexible rear panel. An internal rigid plastic second side panel couples at a second side plastic panel edge to a second side intersection between the flexible second side panel and the flexible rear panel; and an internal rigid plastic bottom panel couples at a bottom plastic panel edge to a bottom intersection between the flexible rear panel and the flexible bottom panel. The article further comprises an. exterior of at least one of the flexible bottom, first side, second side, front, rear and top panels to comprise a dedicated writing surface capable of receiving writing by a writing instrument, wherein the dedicated writing surface may be subsequently erasable.
Among the various exemplary articles disclosed herein, in an expanded form the flexible bottom, side, front rear, and top panels, and interior rigid plastic panels form at least one of a substantially square cubicle and rectangular cubicle container comprising an interior volume to store items. The container article may comprise an external handle or other types of toting mechanisms affixed to at least one of the flexible bottom, side, front, rear, and top panels for carrying the container. The article may also comprise that at least one of the flexible bottom, side, front, rear, and top panels may comprise at least one of a pocket and sleeve at an exterior of the flexible bottom, side, front, rear, and top panels. The writing instrument may comprise a chalk type material or other instrument that may write and be erasable. The flexible bottom, side, front, rear, and top panels comprise at least one of a cloth and woven synthetic material. And, in the spirit of the invention, the flexible bottom, side, front, rear, and top panels collapse to provide a substantially flat configuration.
Finally, among all the various exemplary embodiments, a collapsible container article with a dedicated writing surface may comprise a method for manufacturing, packaging, marketing, distributing, and/or selling the article.
A more complete understanding of the collapsible container article with a dedicated writing surface may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the following illustrative FIGS. In the following FIGS., like reference numbers refer to similar elements and steps throughout the FIGS.
Elements in the FIGS. are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular configuration. For example, elements shown may be constructed and/or assembled concurrently or in different order or embodiments, and are illustrated in the FIGS. to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the collapsible container with a dedicated writing surface.
The collapsible container article with dedicated writing surface may be described herein in terms of various functional components and such functional components may be realized by any number of hardware components configured to perform specified functions and achieve various results. For example, the collapsible container article with dedicated writing surface may employ venous container materials; handle or container toting configurations; drawstrings, zippers, snaps, Velcro, and other container closure mechanisms, which all may carry out a variety of functions. In addition, the collapsible container article with dedicated writing surface may be practiced in conjunction with any number of manners for storing items; and the article described is merely one exemplary application for a collapsible container article with a dedicated writing surface. Among all the various exemplary embodiments, a collapsible container article with a dedicated writing surface may comprise a method for manufacturing, packaging, marketing, distributing, and/or selling the article.
Various exemplary embodiments of a collapsible container article with a dedicated writing surface may be applied to any article for storing items. Referring now to
In a preferred exemplary embodiment, collapsible container article 100 comprises rear 217, front 215 and top 319 internal rigid plastic panels that are respectively integrated to flexible rear panel 116, flexible front panel 114 and flexible top panel 118. Other internal rigid panels maybe expandable. For example, an internal rigid plastic first side panel (i.e., rigid side panel 211), couples at a first side plastic panel edge 250 to a first side intersection 252 between flexible first side panel 110 and flexible rear panel 116. An internal rigid plastic second side panel (i.e. rigid side panel 213) couples at a second side plastic panel edge 260 to a second side intersection 262 between flexible second side panel 112 and flexible rear panel 116. An internal rigid plastic bottom panel (i.e. rigid bottom panel 202) couples at a bottom plastic panel edge 270 to a bottom intersection 272 between flexible rear panel 116 and flexible bottom panel 101.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that by having the internal rigid plastic panels integrated to some flexible panels and others coupled at an edge to an intersection between flexible panels will thereby allow the respective internal rigid plastic panels to fold and facilitate collapsing the article so that it may be manipulated by a user into a substantially flat configuration. For example,
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, as disclosed herein, the term “integrated” means that an internal rigid plastic panel may be affixed to its respective flexible panel by at least one of stitching, glues, welds, snaps, Velcro® rivets, buttons, sleeves, pockets, and the like. In some exemplary embodiments, an internal rigid plastic panel may be integrated by being positioned (layered) between a double walled flexible panel. Other integration configurations known to those skilled in the art or developed in the future may employed as well.
Among the various exemplary articles disclosed herein, in an expanded form the flexible bottom, side, front, rear, and top panels, and interior rigid plastic panels form at least one of a substantially square cubicle and rectangular cubicle container comprising an interior volume to store items. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that article 100 disclosed herein may comprise any regular or irregular geometric configuration, which may be configured respectively with some, all, or none of the features disclosed herein.
The container article may comprise an external handle or other types of toting mechanisms affixed to at least one of the flexible bottom, side, front, rear, and top panels for manipulating the container article. Among various exemplary embodiments, article 100 comprises a handle, such as handle 180 (
As disclosed herein, an exterior of at least one of flexible bottom panel 101, side panels 110 and 112, front panel 114, rear panel 116 and top panel 118 comprises a dedicated writing surface capable of receiving writing by a writing instrument, wherein the dedicated writing surface is preferably erasable, for example, dedicated writing, surface 130 shown integrated to the exterior of front panel 114 (
Turning now to
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention comprises a dedicated writing surface. While it is known that almost any surface may be construed as a designated writing surface, the nature of the present invention is to provide a collapsible container article comprising a surface that is specifically tailored to receive writing, which may be subsequently erasable.
Among various exemplary embodiments, the flexible panels of article 100 may comprise any of a variety of materials generally known to those skilled in the art. In a preferred embodiment, the various flexible panels of article 100 may comprise a durable woven nylon or other synthetic material that can provide durability and flexibility. The flexible panels may also comprise any of a variety of natural materials, such as cotton, burlap, hemp, etc. In a preferred embodiment, the flexible materials should be durable enough to withstand the regular, cyclical use to un-store and store items, yet breathable to prevent any build-up or promotion of mold, mildew, moisture, and the like during storage, and particularly in places where such storage may take place, such as damp or musty closets, basements, sheds, and the like.
According to various exemplary embodiments, articles, such as article 100 and 400, may be configured to be positioned and/or stacked in a whole number of configurations to accommodate the various needs of user. For example, and with reference to
In the foregoing specification, the collapsible container article with a dedicated writing surface has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments. Various modifications and changes may be made, however, without departing from the scope of the collapsible containing article with a dedicated writing surface as set forth in the claims. The specification and FIGS. are illustrative, rather than restrictive, and modifications are led to be included within the scope of the collapsible container article with writable surface. Accordingly, the scope of the collapsible container article with a dedicated writing surface should he determined by the claims and their legal equivalents rather than by merely the examples described.
For example the components and/or elements recited in any physical embodiment claims mad be assembled or otherwise operationally configured in a variety of permutations and are accordingly not limited to the specific configuration recited in the claims.
Benefits, other advantages and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to particular embodiments; however, any benefit, advantage, solution to problem or any element that may cause any particular benefit, advantage or solution to occur or to become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required or essential features or components of any or all the claims.
As used herein, the terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising”, “having”, “including”, “includes” or any variation thereof, are intended to reference a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, composition or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements recited, but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, device, composition or apparatus. Other combinations and/or modifications of the above-described structures, arrangements, applications, proportions, elements, materials or components used in the practice of the collapsible container article with writable surface, in addition to those not specifically recited, may be varied or otherwise particularly adapted to specific environments, manufacturing specifications, design parameters or other operating requirements without departing from the general principles of the same.
