U.S. patent application number 13/957663 was filed with the patent office on 2015-02-05 for soap container convertible to soap holder.
The applicant listed for this patent is Zachary James Dickinson. Invention is credited to Zachary James Dickinson.
Application Number | 20150034502 13/957663 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52426672 |
Filed Date | 2015-02-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150034502 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dickinson; Zachary James |
February 5, 2015 |
Soap Container Convertible to Soap Holder
Abstract
A disclosed convertible soap container 100 packages a bar of
soap 600 or other object. A consumer may use perforations 400 to
fold out a soap holding assembly 200 comprising a moveable back
slide piece connected with a living hinge 220 to an inside lateral
support assembly 229. The inside lateral support assembly may
comprise a horizontal bar section 232 and a pair of lateral support
sections 230. A soap support leg 240 may be connected by a living
hinge 250 to the inside lateral support assembly. Disclosed
embodiments package a bar of soap and may be easily configured to
support the bar of soap between uses.
Inventors: |
Dickinson; Zachary James;
(San Rafael, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Dickinson; Zachary James |
San Rafael |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
52426672 |
Appl. No.: |
13/957663 |
Filed: |
August 2, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/77.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 81/36 20130101;
B65D 5/4266 20130101; B65D 5/10 20130101; A47K 5/03 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/77.1 |
International
Class: |
A47K 5/03 20060101
A47K005/03 |
Claims
1. A convertible container system comprising: a) a back side, a top
side, a pair of longitudinal side sections, a pair of lateral side
sections; b) the top side comprising a set of perforations, the
perforations defining a pair of soap holding assemblies, the soap
holding assemblies each comprising: i. a moveable back slide piece,
attached to a living hinge, the living hinge further attached to an
inside lateral support assembly, the inside lateral support
assembly comprising a horizontal bar section, a lateral support
section; c) each soap holding assembly further comprising a soap
support leg attached via a living hinge to the inside lateral
support assembly; and d) a soap support leg void defined within the
edges of the horizontal bar section, lateral support section and
living hinge of the soap support leg.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a pair of lateral
voids, the lateral voids defined within an top lateral edge of the
top side, lateral edges of the soap holding assembly and the living
hinge of the soap support leg and the living hinge of the lateral
support section.
3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a set of lateral distal
support sections, the lateral distal support sections found between
the top longitudinal edges of the top side, the lateral edges of
the soap holding assembly and the plane between the living hinge of
the lateral support section and the top longitudinal edges.
4. A method of using a container convertible into a soap holder,
the method comprising the steps of using a box structure having: a)
back side, a top side, a pair of longitudinal side sections , a
pair of lateral side sections; b) using two sets of perforations
upon the top side of the box structure to define a pair of soap
holding assemblies; c) using a pair of soap holding assemblies to
define a soap support leg, the soap support leg having a distal
edge and the soap support leg attached via a living hinge to an
inside lateral support assembly; d) using an inside lateral support
assembly comprising a pair of lateral support sections attached to
a horizontal bar section; and e) using a living hinge to attach the
inside lateral support assembly to a moveable back slide piece, the
moveable back slide piece comprising an outside surface.
Description
COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK NOTICE
[0001] This application includes material which is subject or may
be subject to copyright and/or trademark protection. The copyright
and trademark owner(s) has no objection to the facsimile
reproduction by any of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the
Patent and Trademark Office files or records, but otherwise
reserves all copyright and trademark rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] (1) Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention generally relates to soap container and soap
holder systems. More particularly, the invention relates to the
fabrication and use of a soap box containers convertible into soap
holders.
[0004] (2) Description of the Related Art
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,858 issued on Oct. 15, 1968 to Collie
discloses a package convertible to a container, but the container
opens at the bottom and thus drips soap and other material upon a
bathroom counter or other surface. U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,227 issued
to Collie on Nov. 7, 1967 has similar shortfalls.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,895 issued on Sep. 5, 1972 to Wilson
discloses a two part soap container and soap holder, but the
container is not suitable for use as presale packaging. The Wilson
system is more akin to a separate item purchased after a bar of
soap has been unwrapped. The Wilson system does not make use of the
original soap packaging or wrapping and is thus inefficient.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,364 issued on Sep. 27, 1983 to Bronander
discloses a a wrapper wrapped over a separate soap tray. The
Bronander system lacks efficiency and requires a user to punch out
voids and to flip over a top member. Bronander lacks efficiency in
use and efficiency in manufacture. Moreover, the wrapper of
Bronander is not reused and merely wraps the separate soap
tray.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,757 issued on Aug. 22, 1989 to Liggett
discloses a combination package and dish structure. But, Liggett is
inefficient and costly due to the use of dowels. Moreover, the
Liggett dowels do not allow for a sealed container which could
result in contamination prior to use.
[0009] U.S. published patent application 2004/0055904 published on
Mar. 25, 2004, by Cummings discloses a two package system used to
facilitate the orientation of a soap bar upon a display shelf.
Cumming fails to provide any means of a soap dish or soap holder
used after the soap is unwrapped. Thus, there is room in the art
for the disclosed embodiments herein.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention overcomes shortfalls in the related
art by presenting an unobvious and unique combination,
configuration and use of structures integrated into a soap
container such that the soap container may be used for retail
packaging and as a soap holder with minimal user effort and minimal
manufacturing costs. Disclosed embodiments are helpful to the
environment as soap may be sold and used within one packaging
system. The present invention overcomes shortfalls in the related
art by providing soap support legs having little contact with the
soap and thus allowing the resting soap to have maximum air contact
to breathe and dry out. The present invention overcomes shortfalls
in the art by providing a sealed container resistant to
contamination.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a disclosed embodiment
in an expanded condition
[0012] FIG. 2 is an alternative perspective view showing a
disclosed embodiment in an expanded condition
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a disclosed embodiment in a
collapsed position
[0014] FIG. 4 is a side view of a disclosed embodiment in an
expanded position
[0015] FIG. 5 is a front view of a disclosed embodiment in an
expanded position
[0016] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a disclosed embodiment in an
expanded position
[0017] FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of a disclosed embodiment
[0018] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a disclosed embodiment in an
expanded position
[0019] FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a disclosed embodiment in an
expanded condition
[0020] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a disclosed embodiment in
an expanded condition
[0021] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a disclosed embodiment in
an expanded condition.
REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS
[0022] 100 a disclosed embodiment in an expanded or open
position
[0023] 200 a soap holding assembly
[0024] 210 a moveable back slide piece
[0025] 215 an outside surface of a moveable back slide piece
210
[0026] 220 a living hinge found upon the top side of a moveable
back slide piece 210
[0027] 229 inside lateral support assembly comprising a horizontal
bar section 232 and a lateral support section 230
[0028] 230 a lateral support section attached to the living hinge
220 and living hinge 251
[0029] 232 horizontal bar section of inside lateral support
assembly 229
[0030] 235 void defined within lateral support assembly 229, the
void 235 sometimes referred to as a soap support leg void
[0031] 240 soap support leg
[0032] 245 distal edge of soap support leg
[0033] 250 living hinge of soap support leg 240
[0034] 251 living hinge of lateral support section 230
[0035] 300 optional lateral section between top lateral edge 361
and moveable backside piece 210
[0036] 360 top longitudinal edges of top side 500
[0037] 361 top lateral edges of top side 500
[0038] 362 longitudinal side sections
[0039] 363 lateral edges of soap holding assembly 200
[0040] 364 lateral distal support sections found between
longitudinal edges 360, lateral edges 363 of soap assembly and top
lateral edges 361
[0041] 365 a boundary line, sometimes dashed, of a lateral distal
support section
[0042] 367 lateral voids defined within lateral edges 363, top
lateral edges 361 and living hinges 250 and 251
[0043] 369 distal edge of moveable backside piece 210
[0044] 400 perforations upon top side 500 of soap box container
[0045] 500 topside of soap container
[0046] 544 longitudinal crease of bottom side of container
[0047] 550 bottom side of container
[0048] 552 diagonal creases sometimes found upon the bottom side of
container
[0049] 560 lateral side section of container
[0050] 600 soap or other object
[0051] These and other aspects of the present invention will become
apparent upon reading the following detailed description in
conjunction with the associated drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0052] The following detailed description is directed to certain
specific embodiments of the invention. However, the invention can
be embodied in a multitude of different ways as defined and covered
by the claims and their equivalents. In this description, reference
is made to the drawings wherein like parts are designated with like
numerals throughout.
[0053] Unless otherwise noted in this specification or in the
claims, all of the terms used in the specification and the claims
will have the meanings normally ascribed to these terms by workers
in the art.
[0054] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout
the description and the claims, the words "comprise," "comprising"
and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed
to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in a sense of
"including, but not limited to." Words using the singular or plural
number also include the plural or singular number, respectively.
Additionally, the words "herein," "above," "below," and words of
similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this
application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this
application.
[0055] The above detailed description of embodiments of the
invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the
invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific
embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above
for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are
possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the
relevant art will recognize. For example, while steps are presented
in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform routines
having steps in a different order. The teachings of the invention
provided herein can be applied to other systems, not only the
systems described herein. The various embodiments described herein
can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other
changes can be made to the invention in light of the detailed
description.
[0056] All the above references and U.S. patents and applications
are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can
be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions and
concepts of the various patents and applications described above to
provide yet further embodiments of the invention.
[0057] FIG. 1 depicts a disclosed embodiment supporting a bar of
soap 600 or other item. In the foreground, a moveable back slide
piece 210 comprises an outer surface 215 and a living hinge 200. On
the opposite side of the back slide piece living hinge 200,
attached is an inside lateral support assembly 229, shown on FIG.
10. Referring back to FIG. 1, a soap support leg 240 has a living
hinge 250 attached to the upper surface of the container. The
lateral support assembly comprises a lateral support section 230
and a horizontal bar section 232. The lateral support assembly
defines a void 235, used to create a soap support leg 240.
[0058] FIG. 2 depicts a cut-a-way or sectional view shown
supporting a bar of soap 600 or other object.
[0059] FIG. 3 depicts a side perspective view of a disclosed
embodiment comprising a pair of longitudinal side sections and a
pair of perforations 400 upon the top side 500 of the container. A
lateral side section 560 is shown in the foreground
[0060] FIG. 4 depicts a side view comprising a moveable back slide
piece 210, the moveable back slide piece comprising an outside
surface 215 attached to a living hinge 220.
[0061] FIG. 5 depicts a side view comprising a soap holding
assembly 200, the soap holding assembly sometimes comprising a
moveable back slide piece 210 connected to a living hinge 220, the
living hinge 220 connected to an inside lateral support assembly
229. A soap support leg 240 may be connected via a living hinge 250
to the lateral support assembly. A support leg 240 may comprise a
distal edge 245. An optional lateral section 300 may be found
between the top lateral edges 361 and the distal edge 369 of the
moveable back slide piece 210.
[0062] FIG. 6 depicts a top plan view of a disclosed embodiment. A
void 235 is defined within an inside lateral support assembly 229.
The embodiment comprises top longitudinal edges 260 of the top side
500 and lateral edges 363 of the soap holder assembly. 364 lateral
distal support sections may be found between lateral edges 363 and
top longitudinal edges 260. The lateral distal support sections 364
add stability to the container and help to prevent side flex during
use.
[0063] FIG. 7 depicts a bottom plan view of a disclosed embodiment
having a bottom side 550 and sometimes comprising a longitudinal
crease 544 and a plurality of diagonal creases 552. The combination
of the longitudinal crease 544 and diagonal creases 552 add
stability during use and help to fold the system during periods of
nonuse.
[0064] FIG. 8 depicts a perspective view of a disclosed embodiment
comprising longitudinal side sections 362, an outside surface 215
of a moveable back slide piece, lateral voids 367 defined within
lateral edges 363, top lateral edges 361 and living hinges 250 and
251.
[0065] FIG. 9 depicts a top plan view comprising a top side 500,
top lateral edges 361 and four lateral distal support sections 364.
The dashed lines 365 represent boundary lines of the distal support
sections.
[0066] FIG. 10 depicts a perspective view of a disclosed embodiment
sometimes comprising various features such as a top side 500, top
longitudinal edges 360, top lateral edges 361, an outside surface
215 of a moveable back side piece, a living hinge 220 found upon
the top side of the moveable back side piece, lateral voids 367,
soap support legs 240 and distal edges 240 of the soap support
legs. The soap support leg void 235 is sometimes formed when the
soap support leg is folded out from the inside lateral support
assembly 229.
[0067] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a disclosed embodiment and
sometimes includes a lateral support assembly 229 sometimes
comprising a horizontal bar section and lateral support
section.
[0068] These and other changes can be made to the invention in
light of the above detailed description. In general, the terms used
in the following claims, should not be construed to limit the
invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the
specification, unless the above detailed description explicitly
defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention
encompasses the disclosed embodiments and all equivalent ways of
practicing or implementing the invention under the claims.
[0069] While certain aspects of the invention are presented below
in certain claim forms, the inventors contemplate the various
aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms.
Items
[0070] Item 1. A convertible container system comprising:
[0071] a) a back side 550, a top side 500, a pair of longitudinal
side sections 362, a pair of lateral side sections 560;
[0072] b) the top side comprising a set of perforations 400, the
perforations defining a pair of soap holding assemblies 200, the
soap holding assemblies each comprising:
i. a moveable back slide piece 210, attached to a living hinge 220,
the living hinge further attached to an inside lateral support
assembly 229, the inside lateral support assembly comprising a
horizontal bar section, a lateral support section 230;
[0073] c) each soap holding assembly further comprising a soap
support leg 240 attached via a living hinge to the inside lateral
support assembly; and
[0074] d) a soap support leg void 235 defined within the edges of
the horizontal bar section, lateral support section and living
hinge 250 of the soap support leg.
[0075] Item 2. The system of item 1 further comprising a pair of
lateral voids 367, the lateral voids defined within an top lateral
edge 361 of the top side, lateral edges 363 of the soap holding
assembly and the living hinge of the soap support leg and the
living hinge 251 of the lateral support section.
[0076] Item 3. The system of item 2 further comprising a set of
lateral distal support sections 364, the lateral distal support
sections found between the top longitudinal edges 360 of the top
side, the lateral edges 363 of the soap holding assembly and the
plane 365 between the living hinge of the lateral support section
and the top longitudinal edges.
[0077] Item 4. A method of using a container convertible into a
soap holder, the method comprising the steps of:
[0078] a) using a box structure having:
a) back side 550, a top side 500, a pair of longitudinal side
sections 362, a pair of lateral side sections 560;
[0079] b) using two sets of perforations 400 upon the top side of
the box structure to define a pair of soap holding assemblies
200;
[0080] c) using a pair of soap holding assemblies to define a soap
support leg 240, the soap support leg having a distal edge 245 and
the soap support leg attached via a living hinge 250 to a inside
lateral support assembly 229;
[0081] d) using an inside lateral support assembly comprising a
pair of lateral support sections attached to a horizontal bar
section 232; and
[0082] e) using a living hinge 220 to attach the inside lateral
support assembly to a moveable back slide piece 210, the moveable
back slide piece comprising an outside surface.
* * * * *