AU702756B3 - A container assembly - Google Patents

Description

t_ A CONTAINER ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a container assembly.

This invention has particular but not exclusive application to a container assembly for storing dolls therein, and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application. However, it is to be understood that this invention could be used in other applications, such as a container assembly for storing clothes or articles other than dolls therein.

Hitherto various receptacles including bags and suitcases have been widely used by children to store and to carry dolls and other toys therein. Typically the dolls or toys are randomly stored in the receptacle one on top of the other and as a consequence may be easily damaged.

15 Furthermore, many of the receptacles used by children do not *facilitate the display of the dolls or other toys stored therein.

The present invention aims to alleviate one or more of the above disadvantages and to provide a container assembly 20 which will be reliable and efficient in use.

With the foregoing in view, this invention in one aspect resides broadly in a container assembly including:a receptacle having an access opening for receiving an .9 article; a cover moveable relative to the receptacle between a first position wherein the cover overlies the access opening and a second position wherein access to the access opening is permitted, and retaining means for retaining the cover in the second position such that the receptacle and the cover extend away from one another in substantially opposite directions.

In one embodiment the articles may include dolls or toys and wherein the container assembly may be used to carry and to display the dolls or toys.

The receptacle may be constructed from wood, metal, plastics, rubber, fabric or paper, for example, and wherein the receptacle may be divided into a plurality of compartments by walls which may be releasably attached thereto. In the preferred embodiment the receptacle is manufactured from a fabric and wherein at least some of the walls of the receptacle are stiffened by stiffening members such as sheets of paper card retained within pockets formed from the fabric.

In one embodiment there may be provided a closure member which is adapted to close the access opening and/or selected compartments and wherein the closure member may be transparent or include transparent portions. The closure 20 member may be rigid or flexible and may be secured to the walls of the receptacle.

"For example, individual compartments may be selectively closed by a wall comprising a flexible sheet of transparent plastics material and wherein the edges of the sheet are releasably secured to the walls of the compartment by a zipper.

The receptacle may further include article retaining means for retaining an article within the receptacle. In one embodiment the article retaining means may be adapted to grip or close about the article and may include an article receiving cavity formed in a foam rubber body. In an alternative embodiment there may be provided a strap or band which may be adapted t6 extend about an article and which may be continuous or selectively broken such as a strap having ends releasably joined by cooperating hook and loop fasteners.

The cover may be constructed from wood, metal, plastics, rubber, fabric or paper, for example. In one embodiment the cover may comprise a sheet of material which may include pockets or the like for the storage of articles therein. In the preferred embodiment, the cover is also a receptacle manufactured from a fabric and wherein at least some of the 15 walls of the receptacle are selectively stiffened by a.

S•stiffening members.

The cover may be releasably attached to the receptacle however in the preferred embodiment the cover is hingedly connected thereto.

20 The retaining means may include straps, ties, latches or fasteners including hook and loop fasteners, or the like which when engaged prevent substantial movement of the cover relative to the receptacle. For example, adjacent walls of the receptacle and the cover respectively may be temporarily interconnected by fastening means such as tensioned strap.

The container assembly may further include carrying means to assist a user to carry the receptacle. For example the carrying means may include a carrying strap attached to r the receptacle and/or the cover. Alternatively, the carrying means may include an aperture or cavity formed in a wall of the receptacle through which a persons hand may extend.

The container assembly may also include mounting means for mounting the container assembly on a wall or for hanging the container assembly from a protrusion. For example, the mounting means may include a mounting aperture through which a hook like fastener may extend. Preferably the carrying means may also be used as mounting means and wherein the mounting means may include a carrying strap or handle.

The container assembly may also be provided with locking means for maintaining the cover in a position overlying the access opening. The locking means may include straps, ties or fasteners such as a zip which may be used to temporarily 15 maintain the cover in an overlying position.

9o i In a further aspect, this invention resides in a container assembly including: .'9 a receptacle made of fabric; a pocket formed within a wall of the receptacle, and stiffening means removably located within said pocket.

The container assembly may also include a lid adapted to 9 close an access opening in the receptacle and wherein the lid may also be made of fabric which may be reinforced by stiffening means retained within a pocket pertaining to the lid.

The container assembly may further include carrying means to assist a user to carry the receptacle. For example I the carrying means may include a carrying strap attached to the receptacle and/or the cover. Alternatively, the carrying means may include a carrying aperture formed in a wall of the receptacle through which a person's hand may extend.

The container assembly may also include mounting means for mounting the container assembly on a wall or for hanging the container assembly from a protrusion. For example, the mounting means may include a mounting aperture through which a hook like fastener may extend. Preferably the carrying means may also be used as mounting means and wherein the mounting means may include a carrying strap or handle.

The container assembly may also be provided with locking means for maintaining the lid in a position overlying the access opening. The locking means may include straps, ties or fasteners such as a zip.

The container assembly may also include article retaining means for retaining an article within the 9 receptacle. For example, there may be provided a strap or band which may be adapted to extend about an article.

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In order that this invention may be more readily S9.

o understood and put into practical effect, reference will now

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06: be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a typical embodiment of the invention and wherein:- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the container assembly illustrated in figure 1; FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a method of Ir constructing a receptacle of the container assembly illustrated in figure i, and FIG. 4 is a side view of battens used in the construction of the container assembly illustrated in figure i.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a container assembly comprising a rectangularly shaped receptacle 11 and an open, box like, cover 12 each having an access opening 13 and 14 respectively. The receptacle 11 and the cover 12 are hingedly connected together along a common edge 15 whereby the cover may move relative to the receptacle between a first or closed position 16, wherein the cover overlies the access opening 13 so as to prevent access thereto, and a second or open position 17, wherein access to the access opening 13 is not obstructed by the cover.

Both the receptacle 11 and the cover 12 are each made *from a respective sheet of fabric 20 having a rectangularly oo shaped central portion 21, bounded by fold lines 22 and 23 respectively, and wherein the central portion 20 constitutes ft 20 either the front wall 26 of the cover or the rear wall 27 of eO.e the receptacle.

~The sheet 20 also includes a pair of opposing side flaps 24 extending outwardly from respective fold lines 22, and a pair of end flaps 25 which extend outwardly from respective fold lines 23.

The edges of each flap are preferably folded back and sewn down so as to form a hem.

Furthermore, each flap is preferably folded back along a fold line parallel to an adjacent fold line 22 or 23 and subsequently sewn down so as to form a respective open ended pocket.

The pockets are each then filled with an appropriately sized stiffening member 27 or 28 made from paper card and wherein the stiffened pockets constitute the side walls 29 and end walls 30 of the receptacle 11ii or the cover 12 and wherein the shape of the receptacle or the cover is maintained by sewing together the adjacent edges 31.

The receptacle and the cover are hingedly connected together by sewing abutting edges 32 and 33 together as illustrated in figure 2.

The receptacle 11 and the cover 12 are each provided with retaining means including strips of hook and loop fasteners 34 and 35 respectively which are attached to the external surfaces of end walls 30a and 30b such that the engagement of the hook and loop fasteners maintains the abutting end walls 30a and 30b in an abutting relationship C unless urged apart.

20 The receptacle 11 and the cover 12 are also provided with article retaining means including opposing pairs of straps 36 having respective ends 37 which may be releasably secured together using hook and loop fasteners, not shown.

I The container assembly 10 also includes carrying means or mounting means including a pair of carrying handles 38 each manufactured from strips of cloth which are sewn to the end walls 30c and 30d respectively.

In use, the container assembly 10 may be used to carry Cr Ir

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or store four dolls 40 as illustrated in figure 2 and wherein each doll is retained in position by a pair of straps 36 secured thereabout.

When in a folded state, as illustrated in figure 1, the container assembly may be used as a carrying case and wherein the carrying handles may be used to hold or carry the dolls.

However, it will be noted from reference to the drawings that the cover 12 when folded back such that the end walls and 30b abut, that the container assembly 10 may be used to display the dolls 40 and that the relationship of the cover 12 relative to the receptacle 11 is maintained by the engagement of the hook and loop fasteners 34 and It will be appreciated that the container assembly when used to display the dolls 40 may be suspended from a hook, for example, using a carrying handle for support.

Alternatively, the container assembly may be free standing or lent against a wall.

It will also be appreciated from the description that the container assembly, being made of fabric and paper card 20 is relatively soft and that children are unlikely to hurt themselves when playing with the container assembly.

Furthermore, should the container assembly be soiled, the battens may be removed from their respective pockets thereby :enabling the fabric to be washed.

It will of course be realised that while the above has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope aind ambit of this invention as herein et forth.

This container assembly can be varied in construction, which can be a solid moulded unit using for example, plastics, rubber, metal or wood.

It can be constructed with pliable materials such as fabric or soft plastic, wherein the walls of the receptacle may be stiffened by stiffening members such as sheets of paper card, wood or plastic, which may be fixed or removable.

The stiffening members may be retained within pockets formed from the fabric or may be attached to the inside of the receptacle walls by some means of securing device, such as straps, studs or synthetic adhesive.

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-f.q EDITORIAL NOTE NUMBER 63830/98 THIS SPECIFICATION DOES NOT CONTAIN PAGES NUMBERED 10 AND 11.

FILE No.744 22.01. '99 09:58 ID:PIZZEYS BRISBANE FAX:+61 7 3839 2090 PAGE 12 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE ASFOLLOWS: I A container assembly for staring, carrying and displaying children's dolls, said container assembly including: a pair of opposed leaves which are hingedly connected together along a common edge and wherein each leaf includes at least one receptacle which is adapted to receive a children's doll, said leaves being capable of movement between a first position where they overlie thereby denying access to said receptacles and a second position wherein said leaves extend outwardly from said common edge in opposite directions; retaining means associated with each of said leaves and wherein said leaves are selectively maintained in said second position by the operative interengagement of said retaining means, and *~oa handle associated with one or other of said leaves for carrying said assembly.

2. A container assembly as claimed in claim 1, including mounting means for mounting said assembly on a wall.

DATED THIS TWENTY-SECOND DAY OF JANUARY, 1999.

GWENDA DOROTHY YOUNG by PIZZEYS PATENT &TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS