Multipurpose storage device and method

• US 8,714,389 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2010
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MIEH, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Rothschild, Wayne H., Rothschild, Maxwell Bell
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Braden, Shawn M
• Application Number:
  US12/892,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20110011856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 220/6, 220/7, 220/666, 220/4.01, 190/1, 190/2, 190/107, 190/901, 190/903
• US Class Current: 220/7
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/20 Lunch or picnic boxes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/02 Interior fittings; Means, e.g. inserts, for holding and packing articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/103 Arrangement of zip-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1038 of flexible ties
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1076 with a snap action A45C13/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 15/00 Purses, bags, luggage or other receptacles covered by groups A45C1/00 - A45C11/00, combined with other objects or articles A45C1/08, A45C3/14, A45C11/321, A45C13/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2007/0004 convertible into an open planar surface, e.g. a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2013/026 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2013/1015 of hook and loop type
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 5/03 Suitcases
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 5/06 with outside compartments
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 7/0036 collapsible to a minimal configuration, e.g. for storage purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 7/0054 comprising a plurality of hinged panels to be unfolded in one plane for access purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 9/00 Purses, Luggage or bags convertible into objects for other use sacks or packs carried on the body and convertible into other articles A45F4/02; trunk-wardrobes A47B61/06; trunk-beds A47C17/82
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/46 Picnic sets picnic boxes A45C11/20
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 4/02 Sacks or packs convertible into other articles or into objects for other use
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/062 for covering the ground, e.g. picnic or beach blankets

Abstract

A convertible device that converts between an activity mat and a storage container to capture and store numerous articles. Upon reclosing the activity mat, the articles are recaptured into the storage container. The device includes walls and a base, webbing connected between each adjacent wall pair, and a joint connected between the base and walls so that they are foldable into a third configuration wherein the footprint of the folded device is roughly the size of the base. In the third configuration, the walls are stacked relative to the base. The convertible device may further include two zippers for releasably holding the walls in a rigid and upright position in the first configuration. The webbing can be inwardly biased such that when the walls are urged from the second to the first configuration, the webbing folds toward the interior of the convertible device.

Claims

1. An apparatus transformable between at least an erect, assembled configuration and an open, flattened configuration, comprising:

a base foldably connected and unitary with a pair of wall ends and a pair of wall sides, each of said wall ends having a distal edge, a proximate edge, and an upper edge between said distal and said proximate edges,

a first of said pair of wall sides being unitary with a top portion that extends from said base along said distal edges of said pair of wall ends and completely around said upper edges and said proximate edges of said pair of wall ends in said erect, assembled configuration,

a first of said pair of wall ends releasably attached to said first of said pair of wall sides and said unitary top portion by a first zipper such that said first zipper releasably secures (i) said first of said pair of wall sides to said distal edge of said first wall end and (ii) said top portion to said upper edge and said proximate edge of said first wall end, in said erect, assembled configuration,

a second of said pair of wall ends releasably attached to said first of said pair of wall sides and said unitary top portion by a second zipper such that said second zipper releasably secures (i) said first of said pair of wall sides to said distal edge of said second wall end and (ii) said top portion to said upper edge and said proximate edge of said second wall end, in said erect, assembled configuration,

each adjacent pair of said wall ends and said wall sides being flexibly connected together by and unitary with a webbing that is inwardly biased to fold toward an interior of said apparatus in response to said apparatus being converted from said open, flattened configuration toward said erect, assembled configuration,

wherein a length of said upper edge of said first wall end plus a length of said proximate edge of said first wall end, a length of said upper edge of said second wall end plus a length of said proximate edge of said second wall end, and a length of said top portion are substantially equal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said webbing connected between and unitary with a first one of said pair of wall ends and a first one of said wall sides remains generally flush against said first wall side in response to said apparatus being in said erect, assembled configuration.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base, said pair of wall ends, said pair of wall sides, and said webbings lie in a substantially singular plane when said apparatus is in said open, flattened configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base, one or both of said pair of wall ends, one or both of said pair of wall sides, or any combination thereof includes a plurality of rounded plastic nubs configured to removably connect with building blocks.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said building blocks are interlocking building blocks.

6. An apparatus transformable between at least an erect, assembled configuration and an open, flattened configuration, comprising:

a base having four edges;

a first wall end having a proximate edge, a distal edge, a lower edge, and an upper edge between said distal and said proximate edges, the lower edge of the first wall end being foldably connected and unitary with a first one of the four edges of the base;

a second wall end having a proximate edge, a distal edge, a lower edge, and an upper edge between said distal and said proximate edges, the lower edge of the second wall end being foldably connected and unitary with a second one of the four edges of the base, the second edge of the base being opposite the first edge of the base;

a first wall side having a proximate edge, a distal edge, a lower edge, and an upper edge between said distal and said proximate edges, the lower edge of the first wall side being foldably connected and unitary with a third one of the four edges of the base, the third edge of the base being between the first and the second edges;

a second wall side having a proximate edge, a distal edge, a lower edge, and an upper edge between said distal and said proximate edges, the lower edge of the second wall side being foldably connected and unitary with a fourth one of the four edges of the base, the fourth edge of the base being opposite the third edge of the base and between the first and the second edges of the base, each of the proximate edge and the distal edge of the second wall side lacks zipper teeth;

a top portion unitary with and extending from the upper edge of the first wall side such that said top portion overlaps the second wall side in the erect, assembled configuration, the top portion having a proximate edge and a distal edge; and

a first zipper configured to releasable attach (i) the proximate edge of the first wall side to the distal edge of the first wall end, (ii) the proximate edge of the top portion to the upper edge of the first wall end, and (iii) the proximate edge of the top portion to the proximate edge of the first wall end.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a second zipper configured to releasably attach (i) the distal edge of the first wall side to the distal edge of the second wall end, (ii) the distal edge of the top portion to the upper edge of the second wall end, and (iii) the distal edge of the top portion to the proximate edge of the second wall end.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising four webbings, a first of the four webbings flexibly connecting the proximate edge of the first wall side to the distal edge of the first wall end, a second of the four webbings flexibly connecting the distal edge of the first wall side to the distal edge of the second wall end, a third of the four webbings flexibly connecting the distal edge of the second wall side to the proximate edge of the second wall end, and a fourth of the four webbings flexibly connecting the proximate edge of the second wall side to the proximate edge of the first wall end.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the four webbings is inwardly biased to fold toward an interior of said apparatus in response to said apparatus being converted from said open, flattened configuration toward said erect, assembled configuration.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first and the second webbings remain generally flush against the first wall side and wherein the third and the fourth webbings remain generally flush against the second wall side in response to the apparatus being in the erect, assembled configuration.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the top portion overlaps the second wall side such that the top portion abuts a substantial portion of the second wall side in the erect, assembled configuration.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first of the four webbings is unitary with the first wall side and the first wall end, and wherein the second of the four webbings is unitary with the first wall side and the second wall end, and wherein the third of the four webbings is unitary with the second wall side and the second wall end, and wherein the fourth of the four webbings is unitary with the second wall side and the first wall end.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a length of said upper edge of said first wall end plus a length of said proximate edge of said first wall end, a length of said upper edge of said second wall end plus a length of said proximate edge of said second wall end, and a length of said top portion are substantially equal.

14. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the base, the first wall side, the second wall side, the first wall end, the second wall end, the top portion, and the four webbings lie in a substantially singular plane when the apparatus is in the open, flattened configuration.

15. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the base, the first wall side, the second wall side, the first wall end, the second wall end, the top portion, or any combination thereof includes a plurality of rounded plastic nubs configured to removably connect with building blocks.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the building blocks are interlocking building blocks.

17. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the top portion overlaps the second wall side such that the top portion abuts a substantial portion of the second wall side in the erect, assembled configuration.

18. An apparatus transformable between at least an erect, assembled configuration and an open, flattened configuration, comprising:

a base having four edges;

a first wall end having a proximate edge, a distal edge, a lower edge, and an upper edge between said distal and said proximate edges, the lower edge of the first wall end being foldably connected and unitary with a first one of the four edges of the base;

a second wall end having a proximate edge, a distal edge, a lower edge, and an upper edge between said distal and said proximate edges, the lower edge of the second wall end being foldably connected and unitary with a second one of the four edges of the base, the second edge of the base being opposite the first edge of the base;

a first wall side having a proximate edge, a distal edge, a lower edge, and an upper edge between said distal and said proximate edges, the lower edge of the first wall side being foldably connected and unitary with a third one of the four edges of the base, the third edge of the base being between the first and the second edges;

a second wall side having a proximate edge, a distal edge, a lower edge, and an upper edge between said distal and said proximate edges, the lower edge of the second wall side being foldably connected and unitary with a fourth one of the four edges of the base, the fourth edge of the base being opposite the third edge of the base and between the first and the second edges of the base, each of the proximate edge and the distal edge of the second wall side lacks zipper teeth; and

a top portion unitary with and extending from the upper edge of the first wall side such that said top portion overlaps the second wall side in the erect, assembled configuration, the top portion having a proximate edge and a distal edge,

wherein the first wall side extends from the third edge of the base along the distal edges of the first and the second wall ends and the top portion extends from the upper edge of the first wall side completely around the upper edges and the proximate edges of the first and the second wall ends in the erect, assembled configuration, such that the top portion completely overlaps the second wall side.