US20080029585A1

US20080029585A1 - Flat Folded Waterproof Cartoons with Folds and a Fastener with Hooks and More Accessories

Info

Publication number: US20080029585A1
Application number: US11/568,301
Authority: US
Inventors: Maarten Willem Driessen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-04-26
Filing date: 2005-04-25
Publication date: 2008-02-07
Also published as: JP2007534564A; WO2005102848A2; NL1028864C1; EP1768908A1

Abstract

Flat folded waterproof cartons with folds and a fastener with hooks and more accessories.

Description

A packaging P formed out of a flat rectangular bottom with four flat rectangular sides and an opening as big as the bottom. The common packaging in the Netherlands of the daily fresh pasteurized milk with ½, 1 or 1 ½ liter as measures of capacity is referred to in this application as ‘MilkcartonNL’. P is made of the same waterproof carton with the plastic coating as MilkcartonNL is made of. The measures of P, the sides, the bottom and the opening can be varied. P can contain several combinations of prepared folds that can be used to fold P flat (among others drawings 54,55,56), prepared folds like they are used in the opening (the nozzle) and the upper side of the MilkcartonNL. The upper side of P with the opening has prepared folds with wich it can be folded to one another to be closed looking like the closed upper side of MilkcartonNL. P could be sold flat folded and in a bundle.
A combination of the prepared folds used to fold and unfold P can be used in combination with already existing packaging that has been filled by the manufacturer. This will make them easier to fold flat after they have been used and emptied. It will make them take less space between the garbage or while waiting to be recycled (among others drawing 3,5,20,37,47,49).
To explain how the packaging can be folded a series of drawings could be placed on the outside of the packaging. If the packaging was filled with custard part of it could still be sticking to the insides of the packaging. A series of drawings could explain how the last bit of custard could be squeezed out while folding the packaging. Also a series of drawings could be placed on the outside of P explaining how P could be unfolded and if wanted also how P could be folded to be flat again.
After being opened the openings of many cartons containing liquid substances and with no screw top attached will be leaking while being shaked or held upside down. The upper side of the opening that is formed out of the several layers of the folded sides of the closed opening of MilkcartonNL is referred to as ‘A’. By pressing the several layers of the opening of MilkcartonNL (A) firmly to one another between the fingers leakage could be prevented. But if A is not pressed firmly to one another while being shaked or while being upside down the liquid substances will leak out.
A Fastener made out of metal or firm plastic looking like a tube that has been split from one end to the other as if it was a rolled up rectangle. The Fastener with its split can be shoven around A and if the pressure exercised by both sides of the split is big enough MilkcartonNL will be closed waterproof. The corners/angles and the edges of the two sides of the split can be rounded off to make it easier to slide the fastener around A. Both sides of the split that are being pressed against A can be devided into two ledges with a small gully in between them. By doing this the surface of the parts touching A will become smaller which will result into both sides of the split being pressed deeper into A without having to use more force. Also one side of the split can be formed by two ledges and a gully in between them and the other side of the split can be formed by a smaller ledge in the middle of it that fits into the wider gully in the middle of the other side. To prevent the Fastener from slipping off A by accident a thickening can be attached to the upper side of A (the shaded part of drawing 53). The thickening can be an extra layer of carton that has been attached to both sides of the upper side of A. Below the thickening there should be enough space to slide the split of the Fastener around A. In order to make it easier to unfold and to fold (to open and to close) the nozzle of the opening of MilkcartonNL the extra layers of carton that form the thickening could be interrupted around the crossings with the folds. The firmness the nozzle of MilkcartonNL will gain by doing this could also make it easier to open MilkcartonNL for the first time. To prevent the Fastener from slipping of A by accident also four hooks could be attached to the Fastener at the four corners/angles of the split. Those four hooks could be hooked around and be placed underneath the four edges of the two tilted sides of the folded upper part of MilkcartonNL. If one pair of hooks is placed underneath the edges of the tilted sides at one end of A the distance to the points of the other pair of hooks could best be kept as small as possible giving the points of the hooks just enough space to let it be able for them to be pressed downwards over the edges of the tilted sides making it as difficult as can be for the Fastener to slide off by accident. The Fastener can also be made out of two parts that can be shoven partly into and out of each other containing a pair of hooks at both endings of the split (drawing 59). With some gullies attached to one part and some protrusions that fit into the gullies attached to the other part the twisting of the two parts could be prevented. By using a spring the two parts could be drawn into one another firmly and could hold on to one another tightly. The two sides of the split of the Fastener can be pressed together even more firmly using bolts or screws with female screws. The bolts or the screws are placed from one side of the Fastener to the other and in a square angle with A. To close A by pressing it tight the two sides of the split and the pressure they put on A are important. The tubelike form of the connection between the the two sides of the split can be differently formed (drawing 57, located on the first page of the drawings on the right side at the bottom).
The Fastener can also close the folded opening of P by pressing the several layers of the two folded nozzles the opening of P is formed by firmly together. If the points of the two nozzles are well connected with each other leaving no room between them while being folded the opening of P will be closed waterproof. If the opening of P has a rectangular shape instead of a square one the two points of the folded nozzles will not touch each other. To fill the space between them an extra layer of carton can be attached to the innerside of the two layers forming the outside of A. This way the whole of A will be formed by the same number of layers.
The Fastener can also be a rectangle made of firm carton (drawing 1 and 8) containing a slit which can be shoven down around A in order to close A by pressing it together. Both ends of the rectangle can be folded downwards and and if wanted they can be attached to the sides of P using a self-adhesive layer. A layer of corrugated cardboard could be attached to the underside of the rectangular shaped piece of carton on both sides of the slit with the crinkles in a square angle with the slit to make the openings of the crinkles face A. By folding the rectanguler piece of carton upwards the slit will be a part of the fold and it can be shoven downwards around A. By folding its ends flat and downwardly the openings of the crinkles of the corrugated cardboard can be pressed firmly against both sides of A. The edge of the corrugated cardboard can be cut off in an oblique angle with A making the pressure exerted on the lower part of A the biggest because of its V-like form. Extra layers of cardboard could be attached to the underside of the ends of the rectangular piece of carton. Now when the ends are folded downwards the extra layers will support the form with more firmness. Around the folds the extra layers should be interrupted in order not to diminish the capability to be folded or to be unfolded. The extra layers could also be adjusted to fit the triangular spaces/cavities underneath the folded sides of the upper part of P. The downward folded ends of the Fastener could be attached to the sides of P using some kind of glue. The downward folded ends of the Fastener can also be connected to a part that surrounds the body of P/MilkcartonNL (drawing 51). A layer capable to absorb liquids can be attached to the part surrounding the body of P/MilkcartonNL in order to catch the drops rolling down the side after pouring some of the contents. The part surrounding the body of P/MilkcartonNL with the liquid absorbing layer catching the drops can also be used without a Fastener being attached to it. It could also be a rectangle made out of material capable to absorb liquids that is attached to the side of P with some tape. The tape should only attach the right the left and the underside leaving the upper side open in order to catch and to hold the drops that are coming down. Also a piece of cloth or textile with the capability to absorb liquids combined with some elastic ribbon and a fastener like Velcro could be used to surround the body of P. This way it could be washed in order to get clean together with the rest of the dirty laundry.
The unfolded waterproof P can be filled by the consumer himself with dry as well as liquid substances and after being used they could be cleaned and re-used. P could be cleaned in the dishwasher.
Also a Gutter O (drawing 2) can be made from the same material P is made off to collect liquids or other goods. O is a rectangle divided into three rectangles with two folds in between them. Placed inside P the three rectangles of O will fit in nicely with the three sides of P as O is being placed up against them with the edges into the two corners of the fourth side. At the edges of the two outer sides of O two indentations are made. An indentations is formed by two rectangled cuts. The indentations can be hooked around the rim of the opening of P to support O and to supply O with a stable form even when the upperside of the unfolded opening of P has been squeezed a bit to hard. O can be of assistance to P in catching or collecting liquids or other goods and when the combination of O and P is held in a sloping manner the liquids or substances will glide into the inside of P. The combination of 0 and P can also be used by women to pee in. They can hold it between their legs when squated down and press it against their vagina. The combination of O and P can also be used by men to pee in and O can hide their private parts while doing so. After being used O can be unhooked and shoven into P after which P could be closed. The corners/ angles of the part of O sticking out of P can be folded or cut off or be rounded off or they can be given a bended shape to be more adjusted to the shape of the person using it.
A version of P measuring 40*40*60 cm could be used as an Emergency-toilet. If wanted plastic bags like garbage bags could be placed inside them. If wanted a toilet seat with legs that can be folded up could be placed over it. The lower ends of the legs could be connected to each other using a tubelike shape or a flat shape in order to make the toilet seat more stable. To ventilate the contents of P the upper side/opening of P could just be folded without using a Fastener to press the layers firmly together. To shield the folded upper side/ opening of P from the rain a lengthwise folded rectangle made out of the same waterproof carton P is made of could be used as a roof (Roof D) to be placed over A (as A being the folded upper side/opening of P). One side of D could be partially atached to one side of P and the other side of D could be hooked on to the opposite side of P. For example a tab shaped like the point of an arrow could be used. The tab could be hooked to the side of P by shoving it underneath a rectangle that has been connected with both ends to the side of P. If wanted a fine-drawn layer of netting could be used to shield the folded upper side/opening of P from insects. If this version of P is filled it can best be emptied as soon as possible but. To make sure the pressure that could be rising inside of P will not exceed a certain level a valve could be attached to a side of P. The valve could be combined with a filter to prevent the contents of P from getting out. Before or after using this version of P means to disinfect and to thicken the contents could be placed into P.
A rectangle on which two smaller rectangles are attached creating a gully lengthwise through the middle. If two of these combinations of rectangles are connected to each other in a manner that is hinged and with both gullies on the outside and if wanted two layers of rubber attached to the inside this object can be folded around A or the opening of a plastic bag to be pressed tight using a Fastener that fits the gullies. If the two combinations of rectangles are connected to each other in a manner that is hinged with its smallest sides a hook could be attached to one corner of the rectangle and also to a corner of the other rectangle but on this rectangle the hook is attached to the corner of the side with the hinge. This object can be made out of plastic or metal or carton.
A Fastener can also be made from two firm rectangles connected to each other in a manner that is hinged and the two firm rectangles can be pressed together using a screw.
A self-adhesive layer could be attached to the inside of the rim of the opening of P. The self-adhesive layer could be covered with a removable piece of foil.
The extra layers attached to the outside of the upper side of A in order to prevent the Fastener from slipping of (into that direction) could also be attached around the opening of a carton (drawing 5,15,20) whose opening is formed by cutting off the point of an unfolded flap at one of the corners of the carton. This way the openings of these cartons could also be closed firmly using a Fastener. Between the corners of these cartons triangled shaped flaps are present that can be unfolded. The point of an unfolded flap can be cut off to create an opening through which the contents can be poured out. The extra layers of carton attached around the dotted line where the point of the flap has to be cut off in order to create an opening can prevent a Fastener that has been shoven with its split around the flap from slipping of into that direction by accident.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A collapsible carton comprising an upper foldable portion that is selectively foldable between:

A closed position, in which first and second upper edges of the carton are positioned immediately adjacent each other to substantially close the carton; and

An open position, in which the upper edges of the carton are further apart from each other than in the closed position.