Storage Box With Interchangeable Graphics

Abstract

A box for storing attachments and an instruction booklet for a sewing machine or similar household appliance having a receptacle for storage of the attachments and a transparent plastic top cover for storing the instruction booklet with the graphics and indicia of the booklet positioned for display through the top. The top includes a convex surface and a ledge or shelf juxtaposed slightly therebelow on opposite sides thereof. The booklet is positioned within the top with its sides supported on the shelves. The spacing between each shelf and the top surface, and the surface area of the top between the shelves, is such that the booklet conforms substantially to the shape of the convex top. A hole in the top allows removal of the booklet by manual application of a force against the visible surface of the booklet. Various model instruction booklets having model identifying graphics printed thereon may selectively be positioned within the box with the corresponding attachments to standardize and limit the number of different boxes manufactured and stored.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a storage box and more particularly to a box which is adapted to store attachments and an instruction booklet for use with a household appliance and which has as its novel features a shelf in a transparent cover for supporting interchangeable booklets having graphics corresponding to the particular model of the appliance.

Household appliances such as sewing machine are normally sold with a plurality of attachments for extending the utility and flexibility of such appliances. These attachments are included with the appliance and are stored in a box or container which accompanies the appliance. Moreover, the appliance as sold includes an instruction booklet for explaining the operation thereof, and the booklet is usually included within the attachment box. Heretofore, attachment boxes including the instruction booklet have been provided with embossed or pasted-on graphics for identification of the machine which the attachments and booklet accompany. It has been the practice in the past to provide a different size box and a different size instruction booklet for each model of the appliance being sold. This of course results in a decreased manufacturing efficiency and in a greater inventory of similar but different boxes than is necessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a standardized attachment box adapted to store within the cover thereof an instruction booklet having printed graphics on the outer surface thereof which is clearly visible through the cover of the box so as to identify the contents and the model to which the box is associated.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to permit the use of a single attachment box for a wide variety of models of a household appliance and which has a transparent cover through which colorful graphics of an instruction booklet is clearly visible.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide an attachment box having a transparent cover and including at least a pair of shelves on opposite sides of the cover for supporting an instruction booklet thereon with the printed graphics of said booklet clearly visible through said transparent cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With the above and additional objects and advantages in view, as will hereinafter appear, this invention comprises the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the storage box of the present invention and shows a first model instruction booklet supported within the cover thereof;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view through the cover of the box shown in FIG. 1 taken substantially along line 2--2 of FIG. 1, and showing in phantom, a hand of an operator illustrating the method of removing the booklet from the cover;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view through the box shown in FIG. 1 taken substantially along line 2--2 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the method of inserting the booklet within the cover; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the box shown in FIG. 1, but illustrating a second model instruction booklet mounted in the cover thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings there is shown an embodiment of my invention which comprises a receptacle or base 10 having a front wall 12, a rear wall 13, two end walls 14 and 15 and a bottom wall (not shown). Extending about each of the walls is a recessed lip 16 upon which a cover 18 is adapted to be positioned to enclose the receptacle.

The cover 18, which is preferably of molded plastic, comprises a transparent upper surface 20, and a front wall 22, a rear wall 24, and a pair of end walls 26 and 28. The dimensions of the walls 22, 24, 26 and 28 are such that the lower surfaces thereof register with and rest on the lip 16 of the receptacle when the cover is placed thereon. Formed within the cover on each of the front and rear wall at locations spaced below the upper surface 20 is a shelf 30 and 32 respectively. The shelves are preferably molded integral with the cover, but may be independently formed and secured thereto. The shelves project from the front and rear wall toward each other and are adapted to support a booklet 34 which may be stored within the cover. Centrally located in the top surface 20 of the cover is a rectangularly shaped aperture 36 which allows insertion of an operator's finger 38 into the cover to place a force directly on the booklet 34 to remove the same from the cover when desired.

As clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 the upper surface 20 of the cover has a convex curvature from front to back. Furthermore, the lateral spacing between the front wall 22 and the rear wall 24 at the location of the shelves is preferably slightly less than the width of the booklet to be inserted within the cover. Thus, when the booklet is initially placed within the cover it must first be flexed so that the bottom or back surface 40 thereof is convex such as it is when removed therefrom as shown in FIG. 2. The finger 38 of the operator then forces the booklet up within the cover so that the top or front surface 42 of the booklet becomes convex as illustrated in FIG. 3 and the booklet is supported on the shelves 30 and 32. By spacing the walls 22 and 24 apart a distance that is smaller than the width of the booklet at the location of the shelves and above the shelves, the booklet is thereby maintained flexed with the upper surface thereof convex so as to conform to the top surface of the cover. Thus, the graphics 44 and 44' shown on the booklets 34 and 34' in FIGS. 1 and 4 respectively are maintained substantially in contact with the upper surface 20 to provide the proper identification of the appliance model and increase the aesthetic appearance of the box. A pair of apertures 46 and 48 defined at the rounded corners of the top surface 20 with the front wall 22 and the rear wall 24 respectively, aid in removing the cover from the receptacle by providing a gripping surface.

It should be clear from this disclosure that this invention provides a novel attachment box which can be standardized for any number of models of a given type of appliance. Merely by interchanging the instruction booklet and providing the booklet with different graphics and identifying indicia an essentially different attachment box is supplied with each different model of the appliance. It is obvious that the reduction in manufacturing costs associated with utilizing a single box design and interchangeable instruction booklets as opposed to the supplying of different attachment boxes each having their own paste-on or embossed indicia or graphics is substantial for a manufacturer of appliances having multiple models. Furthermore, there is no need to stock in inventory a multitude of attachment boxes of differing designs when a box of only a single design need be stocked, and packed with the various model instruction booklets and attachments at the time the appliance is packaged.

Claims

Having thus set forth my invention, I claim:

1. A box for storing attachments and a flexible instruction booklet including graphics and identifying indicia for a household appliance comprising, a receptacle having an open top for receiving and storing said attachments, and a cover having a convex transparent plastic upper surface and an open bottom adapted to enclose the top of said receptacle, said cover including at least a pair of shelves spaced apart on opposite sides of said cover, each of said shelves being spaced below said upper surface for supporting opposite edges of said booklet with said graphics and indicia positioned for display through said transparent surface, the sides of said cover at the location of said shelves being separated by a distance which is smaller than the spacing between said opposite edges of the booklet so that said booklet is flexed to conform substantially to said convex upper surface when positioned within said cover, said cover including means for allowing removal of said booklet from the cover by applying a force directly on the flexed convex surface of said booklet.

2. A box for storing attachments and a flexible instruction booklet including graphics and identifying indicia for a household appliance comprising, a receptacle having an open top for receiving and storing said attachments, and a cover having a transparent plastic upper surface and an open bottom adapted to enclose the top of said receptacle, said cover including at least a pair of shelves spaced apart on opposite sides of said cover, each of said shelves being spaced below said upper surface for supporting opposite edges of said booklet with said graphics and indicia positioned for display through said transparent surface, the sides of said cover at the location of said shelves being separated by a distance which is smaller than the spacing between said opposite edges of the booklet so that said booklet is flexed when positioned within said cover, said upper surface of said cover including means defining an aperture for allowing said booklet in the stored position to be pushed out the open bottom of said cover.