U.S. patent application number 09/999677 was filed with the patent office on 2003-05-01 for letter opening container.
Invention is credited to Chiu, John.
Application Number | 20030080012 09/999677 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25546590 |
Filed Date | 2003-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030080012 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chiu, John |
May 1, 2003 |
Letter opening container
Abstract
The invention features a container that includes an opening for
inserting and removing a letter, a first opening for opening and
examining the letter, and a window for visually checking the letter
against a contrasting color of an interior surface of the
container. The container which may have a closed configuration is
used for opening and detecting harmful, suspicious foreign
substances such as white powdery particles included in letters of
postal mail systems.
Inventors: |
Chiu, John; (San Diego,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FISH & RICHARDSON PC
225 FRANKLIN ST
BOSTON
MA
02110
US
|
Family ID: |
25546590 |
Appl. No.: |
09/999677 |
Filed: |
October 31, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/449 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2201/00 20130101;
B65D 5/4204 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/449 |
International
Class: |
B65D 085/48 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A container comprising: an opening for inserting and removing a
letter; a first opening for opening and examining the letter; a
window for visually checking the letter against a contrasting color
of an interior surface of the container.
2. The container of claim 1 wherein the container includes a
plurality of panels, at least one of which includes the window and
is configured to open the container for placing a parcel within the
container.
3. The container of claim 1 wherein the contrasting color is
black.
4. The container of claim 1 further comprising a second opening,
wherein the first and second opening provide a passage in the
container for inserting a user's hands through the first and second
opening.
5. The container of claim 1 wherein the container is assembled from
a plurality of collapsible parts.
6. The container of claim 1 wherein the container has a closed
boxed configuration.
7. The container of claim 6 wherein the container includes a
plurality of panels, at least one of which includes the window and
is configured to open the container for placing a parcel within the
container.
8. The container of claim 6 wherein the contrasting color is
black.
9. The container of claim 6 further comprising a second opening,
wherein the first and second opening provide a passage in the
container for inserting a user's hands through the first and second
opening.
10. The container of claim 6 wherein the container is assembled
from a plurality of collapsible parts.
11. The container of claim 6 wherein the container is configured to
be disposed as a sealed container.
12. The container of claim 6 wherein the interior surface of the
container includes a static coating for trapping particles.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to containers for handling items such
as letters and parcels.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Typically, the postal system is used for harmlessly sending
and receiving correspondence and packages such as letters and
parcels. However, with the advent of bio-terrorism and increasing
use of the postal system for delivering and infecting the general
population, extreme care and caution must be exercised in handling
seemingly harmless items. Due to the massive volume of letters and
parcels to be examined, the use of high tech devices for detecting
foreign or suspicious substances is often prohibitively costly and
impractical. Therefore, a feasible and practical system for
detecting suspicious substances is needed.
SUMMARY
[0003] In general, in one aspect, the invention provides a
container that includes an opening for inserting and removing a
letter, a first opening for opening and examining the letter, and a
window for visually checking the letter against a contrasting color
of an interior surface of the container.
[0004] Additional features may be included. The container includes
a plurality of panels, at least one of which includes the window
and is configured to open the container for placing a parcel within
the container.
[0005] As yet another feature, the contrasting color is black, and
the container includes a second opening which together with the
first opening provide a passage in the container for inserting a
user's hands through the first and second opening.
[0006] As another feature of the invention, the container has a
closed boxed configuration. The container is configured to be
disposed as a sealed container, and the interior surface of the
container includes a static coating for trapping particles.
[0007] Embodiments may have one or more of the following
advantages.
[0008] Bio-terrorist agents can be microorganisms, toxins,
biological molecules, enzymes, gases, mutagens, and chemical
regents. One of the most effective ways to protect against
infections by bio-terrorist agents through mail is to be able to
detect the harmful particles and substances before substantial and
sufficient exposure is made. In other words, examination in a
closed container provides the protection required before any
harmful substance can contaminate the surrounding area and
environment.
[0009] The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are
set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below.
Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be
apparent from the description and drawings, and from the
claims.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side view of the container of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a front view of the container of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary container 10 for handling
letters and parcels is shown. The container 10 has the dimensions
of approximately 25 cm.times.25 cm.times.45 cm for home use and 50
cm.times.75 cm.times.75 cm for office use. The container 10 allows
a letter handler to open and examine a letter for the presence of
foreign or suspicious substances by detecting such substances
against a surface of contrasting color, such as black. The handler
can visually spot a suspicious substance if it is present by
placing the letter within the container 10, opening the letter
inside the container 10, and visually monitoring the contents to
see if any suspicious, powdery substances are visible against the
dark, black interior surface of the container.
[0014] In particular, the container 10 includes a top panel 12 and
a bottom panel 14. The container 10 also includes four vertical
panels 16a-16d, an opening 17, a vertical interior surface 18, a
bottom interior surface 20 and a top interior surface 22. The top
panel 12 has a window 24, which allows the handler to view the
internal contents of the container 10 when the top panel 12 is in a
closed configuration (FIG. 3). The window 24 is a transparent
plastic film.
[0015] The top panel 12 also includes a closing border 26 around a
peripheral edge 25 of the top panel 12 for securely joining the top
panel 12 to a lower section 26 of the container 10.
[0016] The side interior surface 18 and the bottom interior surface
20 are coated with a polypropylene synthetic paper of a contrasting
color such as black. The synthetic black paper is not permeable to
water, microorganisms, small particles or substances, toxins,
biological molecules, enzymes, or chemical reagents. The synthetic
black paper also provides static interaction with powder and dusty
like, light substances so that such particles cannot be
dispersed.
[0017] One of the vertical sections 16a-16d, i.e., the vertical
section 16b includes an opening 30 used for inserting the letter
through the opening 30 into the container 10. The vertical panels
16a and 16b each includes side passages 32a and 32b, respectively,
each of which includes side openings 34a and 34b in turn.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 2, details of the side passage 32a on the
vertical panel 16a are shown. The side passage 32a includes a
perforated contour 36 around the side passage 32a for adjustably
controlling the size of the opening 34a. The perforated contour 36
allows for easy insertion of hands for handling the letter by
pushing the flap 38 and folding the flap 38 against the side
interior surface 16 of the container 10. The flat 38 allows these
interior surfaces of the container 10 to be uncontaminated and free
of any dust particles before the container 10 is being used for
detection purposes by the user to eliminate the possibility of a
false detection. In FIG. 2, the container 10 is in an open
configuration 40 with the top panel 12 displaying the opening 17
which is used for placing large letters or parcels within the
container 10.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 3, the container 10 is in a closed box
configuration 50 with the top panel 12 tightly joined to the lower
section 26 (FIG. 1).
[0020] The use of the container 10 is now described in greater
detail below in conjunction with FIG. 1 to FIG. 3.
[0021] The container 10 is provided to a handler or user with usage
instructions either pre-printed on the outside of the container 10
or in a separate sheet of paper. The container 10 is portable thus
it may arrive either in an assembled, semi-assembled, or
unassembled state (not shown). In a semi-assembled state, the
container 10 is made of collapsible parts and the various panels
forming the container 10 must be folded in order analogous to
following instructions for folding a typical storage box. The user
is also provided with latex gloves, a cutting device, and sealing
tape for use with the operation of the container 10.
[0022] Once the container 10 is assembled and ready for use, the
handler dons a pair of gloves and places the letter or parcels
inside the container 10 at the opening 17. The user must be careful
not to handle the letter directly without protective inhalation
gear or otherwise when the letter is not contained within the
container 10. If the letter is sufficiently small, the letter may
be slipped through the opening 30 and the container may be kept in
the closed configuration 50 as shown in FIG. 3.
[0023] The user then inserts his hands through the side passages
32a and 32b, opens the letter with a cutting device already placed
within the container 10. The user can now examine and closely
monitor if the letter has any suspicious contents or if particles
such as powder, fine granules, and the like which fall from the
letter onto the bottom interior surface 20 as it is being opened.
If suspicious particles are light colored powder such as white or
beige, the contrasting black color of the bottom interior surface
20 facilitates the detection of such particles, even if very little
amount is present. The user can visually detect and examine the
letter through the window 24.
[0024] If the user does not detect any suspicious particles, but
upon reading a written message in the letter determines that the
contents of the letter is of interest to law enforcement, the user
carefully places the letter in a plastic bag for further
examination of fingerprints and the like.
[0025] If the user detects the presence of suspicious particles,
the box can be immediately sealed with protective tape and
delivered to law enforcement. If no suspicious particles or
substances are found, the container 10 may be reused as necessary,
but preferably for a limited time such as a two-week period. As a
safety precaution, the container 10 is discarded together with any
and all tools used inside the container 10, only after carefully
sealing and taping the top plate 12 so that it is tightly sealed
for disposal as a hazardous substance.
[0026] The container 10 is made of durable paper material such as
cardboard-based material. In other embodiments, the container 10
may be made of acrylic based materials. Acrylic materials may have
a longer usable life as it is possible to periodically clean them
with anti-bacterial solutions, disinfectants, bleaches, and the
like.
[0027] In other embodiments, bulging sacs are provided in the side
passages 32a and 32b so the side interior surface 18 and the bottom
interior surface 20 of the container 10 are completely sealed off
when the container 10 is in the closed configuration 50. The
bulging sacs may be used either alone or in combination with the
user's gloves for added protection. The bulging sacs may be
configured to be gloves as well.
[0028] Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the
following claims.
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