LITTER BOXES

• US 3,581,977 A
• Filed: 05/22/1968
• Issued: 06/01/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kirsky George, Patricia A. Kirsky
• Original Assignee: Kirsky George, Patricia A. Kirsky
• Inventors: KIRSKY GEORGE, Kirsky, Patricia A.
• Application Number:
  US04/731,133
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• US Class Current: 229/128
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0125 Foldable or collapsible litter boxes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/061 Rectangular containers having a body with gusset-flaps folded inwardly beneath the closure flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6602 formed by folding one or more extensions hinged to the upper edge of a tubular container body

Abstract

These litter boxes are designed to provide a container having a unique closure. The closure consists of a lid, several wings and a front panel which are hinged together along score lines and perforated lines and which, because of the angles at which they are folded, tend to distort certain panels of the closure apparatus during the closing process which thereby holds the lid in place when the lid is in the completely closed position.

Claims

1. A combination littEr, shipping and display box comprising a bottom portion having sidewalls, a backwall, a front wall and a movable closure means secured to the sidewalls, the back and the front wall;

wherein the said closure means consists of a lid, a plurality of wings connected to said lid and a front panel connected to said plurality of wings, all of which are movably joined together; and

wherein the plurality of wings consists of a right wing and a left wing, each of which consists of two side panels, a middle panel and a flap, all movably connected to each other.

2. A combination litter, shipping and display box in accordance with claim 1 wherein a side panel on the right wing and a side panel on the left wing are hinged to either side of the lid along score lines and wherein the said side panel on the right wing is hinged to a middle panel on said right wing and the said side panel on the left wing is hinged to a middle panel on said left wing along perforated lines, said middle panel on the right wing being hinged to another side panel on the right wing and said middle panel on the left wing being hinged to another side panel on the left wing along perforated lines and said other side panels of said right wing and of said left wing being movably connected along score lines to the front panel.

3. A combination litter, shipping and display box in accordance with claim 2 wherein the angle subtended by said score lines and said perforated lines are less than 45*.

4. A combination litter, shipping and display box in accordance with claim 3 wherein the middle panels become slightly distorted as the lid is being closed and as the closing process is continued the middle panels tend to resume their original shape, forcing the lid to snap shut without any further positive pressure.

5. A combination litter, shipping and display box in accordance with claim 2 wherein when said combination litter, shipping and display box is in the fully open condition, the lid, the wings and the front panel are all in a vertical position.

6. A combination litter, shipping and display box in accordance with claim 2 wherein when said combination litter, shipping and display box is in the fully closed position, the lid rests partially on the side panels, the said side panels in turn rest on the middle panels, the said other side panels rest on the middle panels and the front panel rests upon said other side panels.

7. A combination litter, shipping and display box comprising a bottom portion having end walls, a backwall, a front wall and a movable closure means secured to the sidewalls, the backwall and the front wall;

wherein the closure means consists of a lid, a plurality of wings connected to said lid, a left front panel and a right front panel connected to said plurality of wings and a front panel connected to the left front panel and right front panel, all of which are movably joined together;

wherein the plurality of wings consists of a right wing and a left wing, each of which consists of a side panel and a center panel all movably connected to each other;

wherein the side panel on the right wing and the side panel on the left wing are hinged to either side of the lid along the score lines and wherein the said side panel on the right wing is hinged to a center panel on the right wing and the said side panel on the left wing is hinged to a center panel on the left wing along perforated lines, said center panel on the left wing being hinged to a left front panel and said center panel on the right wing being hinged to a right front panel along score lines and said left front panel and said right panel being movably connected along perforated lines to either side of said front panel and;

wherein the angles between the score lines hinging the lid to said side panels and the perforated lines hinging the said side panels to the said center panels are less than 45*.

8. A combination litter, shipping and display box in accordance with claim 7 wherein the center panels become slightly Distorted as the lid is being closed and as the closing process is continued, the middle panels tend to resume their original shape, forcing the lid to snap shut without any further positive pressure.

9. A combination litter, shipping and display box in accordance with claim 7 wherein when said combination litter, shipping and display box is in the fully open position, the lid, the wings, the left and right front panels and the front panel are all in a vertical position.

10. A combination litter, shipping and display box in accordance with claim 7 wherein when said combination litter, shipping and display box is in the fully closed position, the back portion of the said lid rests on the side panels while the front portion of the said lid rests on the center panels, the center panels rest upon the left front panel and the right front panel, and the left front panel and the right front panel lie under the center panels while the front panel lies under the left front panel and the right front panel.