Convertible storage container

• US 8,079,451 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MIEH, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Rothschild, Wayne H., McComb, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLADO, CYNTHIA FRANCISCA
• Application Number:
  US12/026,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20090057308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 190/107, 190/100, 190/103, 190/108, 190/18.A, 206/349, 206/315.3, 206/315.1, 206/278
• US Class Current: 190/107
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 4/06 into beds or mattresses
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/062 for covering the ground, e.g. picnic or beach blankets
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/006 Infant exercisers, e.g. for attachment to a crib
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 3/04 essentially cylindrical

Abstract

Apparatuses convertible between at least a storage container in a first configuration and an activity mat in a second configuration. One apparatus includes a circular lid, a circular base, and at least one zipper pull that zips the lid and base to a wall. When zippered, the apparatus has a generally cylindrical shape. A carrying handle is provided on the lid. When unzippered, the apparatus becomes an activity mat and lies flat. Another apparatus includes two sides, a base, a flap, and at least one zipper pull that zips the sides to the flap. The sides resemble the outline of a car, such that the apparatus when zipped up resembles a car and when unzipped becomes an activity mat and lies flat. Backpack straps on the back allow the apparatus to be worn as a backpack.

Claims

1. An apparatus convertible between at least a storage container in a first configuration and an activity mat in a second configuration, comprising:

a generally circular lid having zipper teeth arranged around substantially all of a periphery of the lid;

a generally circular base having zipper teeth arranged about a periphery of the base;

a first zipper pull; and

a wall having zipper teeth arranged to mate with corresponding ones of the zipper teeth of the lid and the zipper teeth of the base such that when the lid and the base are zippered to the wall in the first configuration, the apparatus has a generally cylindrical shape, the wall having a generally rectangular shape having two opposing longer edges and two opposing shorter edges at respective ends of the wall, the lid being connected to a first one of the opposing longer edges of the wall closer to one of the ends in the second configuration and the base being connected to a second one of the opposing longer edges of the wall closer to the other of the ends in the second configuration,

wherein the first zipper pull is configured to zipper corresponding ones of the wall zipper teeth to substantially all of the zipper teeth arranged about the periphery of the lid, and wherein when the lid and the base are unzippered from the wall, the apparatus is substantially flat in the second configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the ends further includes a flap portion that extends beyond the zipper teeth on the longer edges of the wall.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first attachment member for connecting the lid to the wall.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second attachment member for connecting the base to the wall.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one attachment member, the at least one attachment member located between the wall and at least one of the lid and the base, the attachment member having a generally rectangular shape having a length between two inches and a half of an inch and the attachment member having a width between a tenth of an inch and one inch.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first attachment member connects the lid to one of the two opposing longer edges of the wall and wherein a second attachment member connects the base to the other opposing longer edge of the wall.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second zipper pull, the second zipper pull being configured to zipper corresponding ones of the wall zipper teeth to substantially all of the zipper teeth arranged about the periphery of the base, the first zipper pull and the second zipper pull being configured to zip and unzip in opposite directions.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pockets formed on at least one of the lid or the base.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the lid or the base is removable from the wall.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wall includes hook fasteners on one of the ends of the wall and loop fasteners on the other end of the wall, such that the hook and look fasteners are removably attachable to one another when the one end of the wall and the other end of the wall are brought together as the first zipper pull is urged to a zippered position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a handle attached to at least one of the lid, the base, or the wall.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the opposing shorter edges of the wall substantially overlaps the other opposing shorter edge of the wall.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of pockets formed on an interior portion of the base and the lid for storing toys, and a handle attached to an exterior portion of the lid, wherein one of the opposing shorter edges of the wall substantially overlaps the other opposing shorter edge of the wall, the wall including hook and loop fasteners for removably attaching one of the ends of the wall to the other of the ends of the wall.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a gap exists along a length of the opposing longer edges of the wall between the connection point of the lid and the connection point of the base in response to the apparatus being in the second configuration.

31. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lid and the base are connected to the wall such that no overlap exists between the lid and the base along a length of the opposing longer edges of the wall in response to the apparatus being in the second configuration.

14. An apparatus convertible between at least a storage container in a first configuration and an activity mat in a second configuration, comprising:

a base portion;

at least two side portions connected to the base portion, each of the two sides having first zipper teeth;

a lid flap portion connected to the base adjacent the at least two side portions, the lid flap portion having second zipper teeth; and

at least two zipper pulls configured to zip and unzip the lid flap portion to and from the at least two side portions such that when the lid flap portion is substantially zippered to the at least two sides, the apparatus is in the first configuration,

wherein the first zipper teeth follow a generally curved path comprising a first positively oriented curved path portion and a second negatively oriented curved path portion, in response to the apparatus being converted from the second configuration to the first configuration, at least a portion of the first positively oriented curved path portion is located about a first axis on the apparatus and the second negatively oriented curved path portion is located about a second axis remote from the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising at least two baffles configured to connect the base portion, the at least two side portions, and the lid flap portion, the at least two baffles biased inwardly such that when the at least two side portions are urged from the second configuration to the first configuration the at least two baffles fold toward the interior of the apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a closure flap portion adapted to mate with an exterior portion of the base portion.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the closure flap portion mates with the exterior portion of the base portion using hook and loop fasteners.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising at least one shoulder strap connected to an exterior portion of the base portion.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the lid and the base are connected at opposite ends the wall, the lid being closer to one of the two opposing shorter edges of the wall and the base being closer to the other opposing shorter edges of the wall.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the lid and the base are tangentially connected at the same respective point on opposing longer edges of the wall.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the zipper pull is configured to zip and unzip the zipper teeth of the base being in a first plane and further zip and unzip the zipper teeth of the wall in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane and further zip and unzip the zipper teeth of the lid in a third plane parallel to the first plane.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of pockets formed on at least one of the lid, the base, and the wall for storing toys.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the plurality of pockets are formed on the interior of at least one of the lid, the base, and the wall.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a handle attached to one of the lid, the base, and the wall.

25. An apparatus convertible between at least a storage container in a first configuration and an activity mat in a second configuration, comprising:

a generally circular lid having zipper teeth arranged around substantially all of a periphery of the lid;

a generally circular base having zipper teeth arranged about a periphery of the base;

a first zipper pull; and

a wall having zipper teeth arranged to mate with corresponding ones of the zipper teeth of the lid and the zipper teeth of the base such that when the lid and the base are zippered to the wall in the first configuration, the apparatus has a generally circular cylindrical shape, the wall having a generally rectangular shape having two opposing longer edges and two opposing shorter edges at respective ends of the wall, the lid being connected to a first one of the opposing longer edges of the wall proximate one of the ends in the second configuration and the base being connected to a second one of the opposing longer edges of the wall proximate the same one of the ends in the second configuration,

wherein the first zipper pull is configured to zipper corresponding ones of the wall zipper teeth to substantially all of the zipper teeth arranged about the periphery of the lid, and wherein when the lid and the base are unzippered from the wall, the apparatus is substantially flat in the second configuration and wherein the wall includes means for separating one end of the wall from the other end of the wall when converting the apparatus from the first configuration to the second configuration and for attaching the one end of the wall to the other end of the wall when converting the apparatus from the second configuration to the first configuration.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the lid and the base are connected at substantially the same point on the two opposing longer edges of the wall.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a second zipper pull, the second zipper pull being configured to zipper corresponding ones of the wall zipper teeth to substantially all of the zipper teeth arranged about the periphery of the base, the first zipper pull and the second zipper pull being configured to zip and unzip in the same direction.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a first attachment member for connecting the lid to the wall and a second attachment member for connecting the base to the wall.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of pockets formed on an interior portion of the base and the lid for storing toys, and a handle attached to an exterior portion of the lid, wherein the means for attaching the one end of the wall to the other end of the wall includes hook and loop fasteners or zipper teeth.