GB2523113A

GB2523113A - A collapsible container adapted to be mounted on an upright surface

Info

Publication number: GB2523113A
Application number: GB1402451.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Matthew Johnathan Benton-Nkansah
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-02-12
Filing date: 2014-02-12
Publication date: 2015-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 2034-02-12
Also published as: GB201402451D0; GB2523113B; US20150232231A1

Abstract

Collapsible container for mounting to upright surface, e.g. wall, having front 10 and rear 12 panels (with inner 16 and outer 14 faces, upper 18 and lower 20 edges, first 22 and second 24 side edges), first 26 and second 28 collapsible sides, e.g. concertina, collapsible base, and temporary mounting means (34, figure 3). Panels 10, 12 adjust between closed and open positions. Closure, possibly single use latch / catch, may hold container open or closed. Sides 26, 28 may have pre-formed folds bending inwards, and may be formed integrally / separately with the base. Attachment means 34 may be on rear panel 12 outer surface 14, and may be adhesive, hook and loop (Velcro (RTM)), magnetic, slot-in, or press stud, and may have attachment element (38-44, figure 4) having fastener, adhesive means and printed surface. Container may have slot for receiving flat sheet. Claims to method, kit, and collapsible bag are also included.

Description

A collapsible container adapted to be mounted on an upright surface

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to collapsible containers_for mounting to independent surfaces, more particularly but not exclusively bags to mount on a seat in an auditorium or theatre for example to contain items during a performance or show.

Background

In a number of situations people carry items for use or consumption during an event such as a meeting or performance, in which they are sitting or standing behind an item with an upright surface, such as a seat back or a barrier. During the event people want to access these items conveniently but it is often not desirable to carry them throughout the event or to place them on the floor.

For example, in cinemas there is a need for a container to hold food items such as popcorn and drinks close at hand. There is a need for a convenient container that may be used to hold items for the user, in some cases as a single use bag, supported by an upright surface close by to keep the items off the floor. The present invention aims to meet those needs.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a collapsible container configured to be mountable on an upright surface, in which the container comprises: a front panel and a rear panel, each having an outer face and an inner face, an upper edge and a lower edge, and first and second side edges; and first and second collapsible sides, wherein the first side is attached to the first edges of the front and rear panels and the second side is attached to the second edges of the front and rear panels; a collapsible base; and a temporary mounting means configured to both mount the container to an upright surface and provide vertical and horizontal support to the container; wherein the panels and base define an interior space by adjustment of the panels from a first closed position where the panels are substantially adjacent and parallel, to a second open position providing an internal volume.

In some embodiments means is provided to maintain the container in the first or second positions, or both, for example biasing in the sides.

Preferably the container comprises closure means to hold the container closed, or in the first position, with the front and rear panels proximal to one another when the container is not in use.

In some embodiments the closure means comprises a magnetic means such that the front and the rear panels are held together magnetically. In this way the user may open the container by pulling the front panel away from the rear panel to overcome the magnetic attractive force and the container will close when the front panel is moved back towards the rear panel. In some embodiments a magnetic element is provided on the front panel and an attracting magnetic element is provided on the rear panel. In some embodiments the magnetic element are in the form of a strip provided at one or more edges of the front and the rear panels.

In some embodiments the closure means comprises a clip usable to hold the front and rear panels adjacent to one another.

In some embodiments the closure means may be a single use closure means that holds the container together before a first use, for example a tear-off closure strip that is removable by a user.

By an upright surface is meant a surface having a vertical component of orientation, such as a substantially vertical surface or a surface inclined at an angle of greater than 45 degrees to the horizontal. The application of the container is not limited to such surfaces, rather that it is particularly adapted for use when attached to such surfaces. By collapsible is meant that a dimension of a panel or the size and capacity of the container may be changed by moving a first part of the panel or container relative to another. By attached to an edge of a panel is meant attached at the edge itself or attached to the panel adjacent to the edge.

In some embodiments the sides are adapted to bend inwards in direction substantially parallel to the first and second side edges.

In some embodiments the sides each have a plurality of pre-formed folds aligned substantially parallel to the first and second side edges.

In some embodiments the base is attached to the front and the rear panels at their lower edges.

In some embodiments the base is attached to the lower edges of the sides.

In some embodiments the sides and the base are formed from separate components.

In some embodiments the sides and the base are formed from a common component.

In some embodiments the base comprises one or more pre-formed folds aligned substantially parallel to the lower edges of the front and rear panels.

In some embodiments the attachment means is provided on the outer surface of the rear panel.

In some embodiments the container is configured to attach to the rear of a seat.

In some embodiments the attachment means comprises an adhesive means configured to adhere the rear panel to the surface.

In some embodiments the attachment means comprises a hook element configured to attach to the material of the upright surface. For example, in the case that the upright surface comprises a fabric, such as when the surface forms part of a seat, the hook element may comprise the hook portion of a Velcro (RTM) fastening means.

In some embodiments the attachment means comprises an attachment element detachable from the rear panel mounted on the surface, the attachment element and the rear panel comprising a reversible fastening means to attach them together.

In some embodiments the attachment element is mounted permanently on the surface and may form part of the surface.

In some embodiments the attachment means comprises an attachment element detachable from the rear panel having an adhesive means to adhere to the surface, the attachment element and the rear panel comprising a reversible fastening means to attach them together.

In some embodiments the attachment means comprises a hook and fibre fastener such as Velcro (RTM).

In some embodiments the attachment means comprises a press-stud fastener.

In some embodiments the attachment means comprises a magnetic fastener means such that the rear panel is held in contact with the attachment element magnetically.

In some embodiments the attachment means comprises a slot-in fastening means comprising a projection on one of the rear panel and the attachment element and a recess on the other to retain the projection within the recess.

In some embodiments the attachment element is in the form of a sticker configured to adhere to the surface.

In some embodiments the attachment element comprises a substantially flat panel having a front surface and a rear surface, the adhesive means being provided on the rear surface, the fastening means being provided on the front surface. In some embodiments the front surface comprises a printed surface having the fastening means superimposed on the printed surface.

In this way the container of the invention is attachable to an upright surface, in one example of use the rear of a seat in an auditorium or stadium, and openable by means of the concertina-style sides to provide a temporary storage space for use by a person facing the rear of the seat. The container is attachable to the attachment element, which may be mounted permanently or semi-permanently on the seat, and used with more than one container, a used container being removed from the attachment element for disposal. In one example of use, the container may be used to contain a foodstuff such as popcorn, either directly in the interior of the container or by placing a bag holding the foodstuff within the container. In another example of use, materials such as printed matter may be provided to a user within a container of the invention, that may then be attached to the rear of a seat for example in a setting such as a conference or convention.

In some embodiments the sides have preformed folds at intervals between the front and rear panels, such that the sides fold inwards on themselves at the folds in the manner of a concertina. Such a construction may be used for example when the sides are formed from a relatively rigid material such as a semi-rigid polymer or cardboard. In some embodiments the sides are formed from a material that has high flexibility and such folds are not needed, for example being formed from a polymer film.

In some embodiments the container comprises a slot adjacent to and outside of the front panel to receive a flat sheet, for example a printed sheet. In this way the container may be customised to provide a usage-specific outer surface appearance of the front panel, by slotting a printed sheet into the slot. This allows a generic container product to be rapidly modified to suit a specific purpose. In an example of use the printed sheet may be an advertising sheet, for example to advertise a film or products within a cinema.

In some embodiments the container comprises a first and a second interior space and a divider element between the two. In some embodiments the divider element comprises a plurality of folds. In this way the container may have two separate spaces configured to hold separate items. The spaces may have apertures between them or may have a continuous barrier between them between the divider and the base. In an example of use, a first space may be configured to contain a foodstuff and a second space to contain a drink bottle.

In some embodiments the front and rear panels are rectilinear, for example rectangular, and in other embodiments the front and rear panels may have other shapes, such as trapezoidal with the longest side at the top, having a curved upper edge such as in a fan shape, or having a scalloped upper edge in a shell-like profile.

In some embodiments the sides are rectilinear, for example rectangular, such that when opened the container has a substantially rectilinear side profile. In some embodiments the sides have a non-rectilinear perimeter, for example such that when open the container has a triangular or trapezoidal profile, such that the opening at the top is longer than the base.

The container may be sized to accommodate a specific item such as a popcorn bag or a drink bottle.

According to the embodiment the container may have an upper edge in the range 10cm to 35cm, or in the range 20cm to 30cm, for example around 25cm, and a first or second edge in the range 10cm to 40cm, or in the range 25cm to 35cm, or around 30cm. The sides may have an upper edge that when fully extended is in the range 10cm to 30cm, in the range 15cm to 25cm, or around 20cm.

According to a second aspect the invention provides a kit comprising a container as described herein and one or more content items within the container, the container being closed by the closure means to retain the content items.

In some embodiments a content item is a foodstuff. In some embodiments a content item is a printed sheet. In some embodiments a content item is a viewing or listening aid such as 3D glasses or earphones.

According to a third aspect the invention provides a method of storing an item comprising the steps of attaching a container as described herein to an upright surface and opening the container by pulling the front panel away from the rear panel.

In some embodiments the method comprises the step of attaching the container to an attachment element provided on the upright surface, such as a hook or seat back.

According to a fourth aspect the invention provides a means of providing a storage space by use of a container as described herein comprising the steps of: Providing an attachment element mounted on an upright surface, Providing a container as described herein to the user with instruction to attach the container to the attachment element and to open the container by pulling the front panel away from the rear panel.

In some embodiments the method comprises the step of providing a content item within the container.

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows a front isometric view of a container according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a rear isometric view of the embodiment shown in figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a rear isometric view of the embodiment shown in figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a top view of the embodiment shown in figure 1.

Detailed Description of Figures

Referring to figures 1 to 4, an embodiment of a container according to the invention is adapted to hold foodstuffs when supported by an upright surface forming part of a seat back, and comprises: a front panel 10 and a rear panel 12 each having an outer face 14 and an inner face 16, an upper 18 and a lower edge 20 and a first 22 and a second 24 side edges, a first 26 and a second 28 foldable side, the first panel being attached to the first edges of the front and rear panels and the second panel being attached to the second edges of the front and rear panels, the sides each having a plurality of folds aligned substantially parallel to the first and second side edges, a foldable base attached to the lower edges of the front and rear panels, such that the panels together form an interior space 32 whose volume may be adjusted by movement of the front and rear panels relative to each other, and an attachment means 34 provided on the rear panel configured to attach to an upright surface.

In this embodiment the sides and the base are formed from separate components.

In this embodiment the attachment means 34 is provided on the outer surface 14 of the rear panel.

In this embodiment the container is configured to attach to the rear of a seat.

In this embodiment the attachment means 34 comprises an attachment element 36 detachable from the rear panel comprising a sheet member 38 and having an a adhesive means in the form of one or more adhesive patches 40 to adhere to the surface, the attachment element and the rear panel comprising a reversible fastening means to attach them together, in this embodiment the attachment means comprises a hook and fibre fastener such as VelcroTM, a first part of the fastener 42 being attached to the rear panel 12 and the other part 44 being attached to the attachment element.

In this embodiment the container comprises a slot 46 adjacent to and outside of the front panel 10 to receive a flat sheet, for example a printed sheet, the slot being formed by a first 48 and a second 50 side runners and a base runner 52 each having a lip separated from the outer face of the front panel 10. In this way the flat sheet may be slid in behind the runners from the top, being held in place by the lips.

In this embodiment the container comprises a magnetic closure means to hold the container closed with the front and rear panels proximal to one another when the container is not in use, such that the front and the rear panels are held together magnetically.

In this embodiment the container has an upper edge of the front and rear panels around 25cm long, and a first and second edge around 30cm long, and the sides when fully extended are around 20cm long. The front and rear panels may be formed from PVC and may be around 1mm thick. The sides may be formed from a polyester fabric material.

In this embodiment the front surface of the attachment means may comprise a printed surface having the fastening means superimposed on the printed surface.

In this way the embodiment provides a simple collapsible container that when in use in a cinema may have some or all of the following features: the container can be closed by a user when people are passing along the aisle past the container; the sides of the container may comprise a printed surface such as an image or a logo, such that the product may be tailored to promote a company or product; the front panel may have a changeable image to advertise an upcoming movies; the product may be made in a range of colours to suit the application, for example bright and bold colours for use in a cinema; the container may be a single use container, formed from cheap disposable materials, with the attachment element remaining in place while the container is changed, or the container may be adapted for multiple use, comprising more durable materials, being changed only at intervals when worn or dirty.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention. Firstly it will be understood that any features described in relation to any particular embodiment may be featured in combinations with other embodiments.

With respect to the specification therefore, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention, with variation and implementation obvious and clear on the basis of either common general knowledge or of expert knowledge in the field concerned. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as set out in the accompanying claims.