FOLDABLE CONTAINER, LITTER BAG, DUST PAN, BRUSH AND BLANK THEREFOR

• US 3,765,044 A
• Filed: 12/02/1971
• Issued: 10/16/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank T. Hanahan, John H. Tortorella
• Original Assignee: Frank T. Hanahan, John H. Tortorella
• Inventors: Hanahan, Frank T., Tortorella, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US05/204,276
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 15/104.8,257.1,257.2,257.7 206/4.6BR,DIG.8,DIG.9 229/51DB,52B
• US Class Current: 15/104.8
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/52 Dust pans; Crumb trays
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0254 with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps and securing them by means of a tongue integral with one of the flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/542 the lines of weakness being provided in the container body
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 2001/126 the implement being for single use but not glove-like

Abstract

A folding carton of rectangular section is erectable from a onepiece blank of self-supporting sheet material, the minor portion being removable on a tear line to form the major portion as an open-topped, rectangular litter bag. A section of the front panel of the litter bag is removable on a tear line to form a doubled scraper and a large punch-out area in the bottom panel forms a hand grip to convert the litter bag into a dust pan with an overhanging rim and viewing opening. A strip of fibrous felt-like material is adhered to the blank along the edge of the scraper to sweep up dust particles.

Claims

1. A hollow rectangular container adapted to form a litter bag or a dust pan, said container comprising:

a folding carton having a front panel, a rear panel, opposite side panels, opposite end panels, a glue flap and tuck flaps on the end panels erected from a single sheet of disposable selfsupporting sheet material;

said carton having a perforated tear line extending entirely therearound proximate one end to divide the same into a major, open-ended receptacle and a minor open-ended receptacle both having four rectangular walls of uniform height; and

the portion of said carton forming said major open-ended receptacle having a perforated tear line defining a punch-out for a suspension slot in the rear panel thereof located close to the open end thereof for suspending the same as a litter container and having a perforated tear line in the front panel thereof defining a separable brush element, said tear line extending peripherally around said front panel to form an integral overhanging rim and a viewing opening when said brush element is removed and said major portion is positioned as a dust pan; and

a line of perforation in the end panel of said major openended receptacle normally defining a closure which is selectively removable to form a hand opening, and to form a hand grip, in cooperation with the adjacent portions of said end panel and front panel.

2. A container as specified in claim 1, wherein:

the said end flap forming part of said major portion includes a locking tongue slot and the rear panel thereof includes an integral, projecting, foldable, locking tongue adapted to enter said slot, upon erection of said carton, to prevent inadvertent opening of the adjacent tuck flap when said major portion is used as a litter container or dust pan; and

wherein said closure is an oval push-out panel.

3. A container as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said punch-out defines a suspension slot of key hole configuration and of substantial area for fitting over the knobs on the interior of an automobile.

4. A container as specified in Claim 1, wherein:

the separable brush defined in said front panel includes a preformed fold line extending transversely thereacross to permit doubling for additional rigidity and includes a separate strip of brush material along one edge thereof and adhered thereto.

5. A container as specified in claim 4, wherein:

said separate strip of brush material has a relatively hard fibrous surface of the felted fibrous type.

6. A container as specified in claim 1, plus:

a separate strip of relatively hard fibrous material adhered along the edge portion of said brush element, the fibres thereof being recumbant and of polypropylene to sweep up dust particles.

7. A combined litter container and dust pan, comprising:

a receptacle of generally rectangular outline, formed from a single piece of foldable sheet material and having a front wall, a rear wall, opposite side walls, an end wall at one end and an unobstructed rectangular opening at the other end;

a brush element defined in the front wall of said receptacle by a line of perforations extending from said open end peripherally therearound and back to said open end, to create a viewing opening and an overhanging rim in said front wall when said element is torn out;

a suspension slot in said rear wall close to said rectangular opening for suspending said receptacle on a knob of a vehicle as a litter container before or after said brush element is removed; and

hand grip means, including a portion of said overhanging rim and a hand opening of relatively large area in said end wall, for forming a handle when said receptacle is used as a dust pan.

8. A combined litter container and dust pan as specified in claim 7, wherein:

said end wall includes a perforated line defining a push-out panel for closing said hand opening, whereby said wall is a bottom closure during litter container use and is a handle with a finger opening when said panel is pushed out for dust pan use.

9. A flat blank of foldable sheet material adapted to be erected into a combined container, litter bag and dust pan, said blank comprising:

front, rear and opposite side panels, a glue flap and at least one end panel and tuck flap, all foldably connected and separated by fold lines;

said front panel having a perforated line of weakness extending peripherally therearound to form an overhanging rim and viewing opening in said panel and to form a separable brushing, or scraping, element when said element is torn out along said line;

said rear panel having a perforated line of weakness defining a suspension slot for hanging said container on a vehicle knob;

said end tuck flap having a perforated line of weakness defining a push-out panel of substantial area for forming a hand opening when said container is used as a dust pan and said opening being spaced from the edge of said panel by a strip of said panel, right angularly disposed to an adjacent strip of said overhanging rim to jointly form a hand grip.

10. A blank as specified in claim 9, plus:

a separate, elongated, narrow strip of felt-like, fibrous material adhered along the edge of the portion of said front panel forming said brushing element, for use in sweeping dust particles into the dust pan formed by said container.