Claims
- 1. An ashtray, comprising:
a collapsible body having a plurality of panels separated from each other by respective fold lines, the fold lines being arranged so that in response to flattening two diametrically opposite fold lines into a flattened state and folding remaining fold lines into a folded state, the collapsible body flattens, the collapsible body being configured to form an inverted geometric shape with an inverted orientation in response to the diametrically opposite fold lines becoming folded and leaving the flattened state while the remaining fold lines are in the folded state, the inverted geometric shape being selected from a group consisting of a pyramid and a cone, the inverted geometric shape having an apex and a base periphery between which extend the panels, the base periphery being wider than the apex and defining an open base area; and at least one cover contiguous with at least one of the panels and having a size at least approximating the open base area defined by the base periphery so that when the at least one cover is positioned in the open base area, cigarette butts confined within a volume defined by the panels remain inside even when the body is flipped over from an inverted orientation as long as the cover remains in the open base area.
- 2. An ashtray of claim 1, wherein the ashtray and at least one cover are made from a common blank of cardboard.
- 3. An ashtray of claim 1, wherein the fold lines converge toward the apex and diverge toward the base periphery.
- 4. An ashtray as in claim 1, further comprising an aperture in one of the panels, the aperture being closer to the apex than to the base periphery.
- 5. An ashtray as in claim 1, further comprising a protrusion and slot fitted one into the other, the at least one cover and one of the panels each having a respective one of the protrusion and the slot.
- 6. An ashtray as in claim 1, wherein the cover and the further one of the panels have male and female members that engage each other to retain the at least one cover in a position that closes the open base area.
- 7. An ashtray as in claim 1, wherein the at least one cover and one of the panels have complementary configurations that engage each other to retain the at least one cover in a position that closes the open base area.
- 8. An ashtray as in claim 1, wherein the at least one cover is only one cover.
- 9. An ashtray as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the panels is longer than another one of the panels.
- 10. An ashtray as in claim 1, wherein the at least one cover includes two covers each being contiguous with different ones of the panels and configured so that the two covers are movable to engage each other in a closed position to define a combined size of both that at least approximates the open base area defined by the base periphery so that when the two covers are positioned in the open base area, in the closed position the cigarette butts confined by the panels remain inside even when the body is flipped over from the inverted orientation as long as the two covers remain in the closed position in the open base area.
- 11. An ashtray of claim 10, wherein the ashtray and at least one cover are made from a common blank of cardboard.
- 12. An ashtray of claim 10, wherein the fold lines converge toward the apex and diverge toward the base periphery.
- 13. An ashtray as in claim 10, further comprising an aperture in one of the panels, the aperture being closer to the apex than to the base periphery.
- 14. An ashtray as in claim 10, further comprising a protrusion and slot fitted one into the other, the at least one cover and one of the panels each having a respective one of the protrusion and the slot.
- 15. An ashtray as in claim 10, wherein the cover and the further one of the panels have male and female members that engage each other to retain the at least one cover in a position that closes the open base area.
- 16. An ashtray as in claim 10, wherein the at least one cover and one of the panels have complementary configurations that engage each other to retain the at least one cover in a position that closes the open base area.
- 17. An ashtray as in claim 10, wherein at least one of the panels is longer than another one of the panels.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application claims priority from provisional patent application serial No. 60/408,244 filed Sep. 5, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60408244 |
Sep 2002 |
US |