Casket having memorabilia compartment

• US 6,836,936 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Batesville Services Incorporated (Hillenbrand Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Batesville Services Incorporated (Hillenbrand Incorporated)
• Inventors: Biondo, John P., Winburn, Charles F., Maier, Donald R., Laphan, Dennis C., Neth, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kien T.
• Application Number:
  US09/028,796
• Time in Patent Office: 2,505 Days
• Field of Search: 27/2, 27/14, 27/16, 27/18, 27/20
• US Class Current: 27/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 17/04 Fittings for coffins

Abstract

A casket is provided with an integral memorabilia compartment for the placement, display and storage therein of personal effects and mementos of memorialization of the deceased. In one form the casket comprises a shell, a cap pivoted to the shell, and an openable and closable memorabilia compartment forming a part of the cap. In another form the casket comprises a shell, a cap pivoted to the shell, and an openable and closable memorabilia compartment forming a part of the shell. In both forms the memorabilia compartment is so positioned and configured as to provide convenient access to mourners paying respects to the deceased for placing personal effects and mementos therein and to provide display of the personal effects and mementos placed therein for viewing by the mourners.

Claims

1. A casket having a memorabilia compartment, said casket comprising:

a casket shell;

a cap closable upon said shell;

a memorabilia compartment forming a part of said cap;

wherein said memorabilia compartment is openable and closable;

wherein said memorabilia compartment comprises a memorabilia drawer movably mounted relative to said cap, said drawer movable to and between a display position and a storage position, the display position providing access to mourners paying respects to the deceased for placing personal effects and mementos in said drawer and providing display of the personal effects and mementos placed therein for viewing by the mourners, the storage position providing concealed storage of the personal effects and mementos placed therein.

2. A casket having a memorabilia compartment, said casket comprising:

a casket shell;

a cap closable upon said shell; and

an openable and closable means for alternately displaying and storing respectively personal effects and memorabilia of memorialization of a deceased, said means forming a part of said cap, said means being so positioned and configured as to provide convenient access to mourners paying respects to the deceased for placing personal effects and memorabilia placed therein for viewing by the mourners when opened, and to provide concealed storage of the personal effects and memorabilia placed therein when closed.

3. A casket having a memorabilia compartment, said casket comprising:

a casket shell;

a cap privotably coupled to said shell, said cap including spaced-apart first and second side rim members, each said side rim member having a first end and a second end, an end rim member connected to said first end of each said side rim member, a header panel connected to said second end of each said side rim member, said first and second side rim members cooperating with said end rim member and said header panel to define a cap frame, and a memorabilia tray disposed within said cap frame.

4. The casket of claim 3, wherein said memorabilia tray defines a plurality of compartments.

5. The casket of claim 3, further comprising a crown connected to said cap frame, wherein said memorabilia tray has an upwardly-facing upper surface, said crown includes a concave inner surface, and said upper surface is convex for nesting within said crown.

6. The casket of claim 3, wherein said memorabilia tray is press-fit within said cap frame.

7. The casket of claim 3, wherein said cap frame includes an underneath surface and said memorabilia tray is secured to said underneath surface of said cap frame.

8. The casket of claim 7, wherein said memorabilia tray includes an underneath side that is readily visible when said cap is pivoted away from said shell.

9. The casket of claim 3, further comprising a crown that is pivotably coupled to said cap frame to expose said memorabilia tray when said crown is pivoted away from said cap frame.

10. The casket of claim 3, further comprising a crown that is slidably mounted to said cap frame to expose said memorabilia tray when said crown is slid away from said cap frame.