US3917153A

US3917153A - Unitary foldable laminar blank for the manufacture of containers useful as toy football helmets

Info

Publication number: US3917153A
Application number: US473473A
Authority: US
Inventors: Felipe Holschneider
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-03-01
Filing date: 1974-05-28
Publication date: 1975-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1992-11-04
Also published as: CA1001595A

Abstract

A unitary, foldable, laminar blank for the manufacture of containers and toy football helmets, comprising bottom, front, rear and side walls; wherein the blank includes a laminar structure having fold lines and cut lines which define a central body having diametrically opposite thereof two tapering integral portions which ends in small coupling tabs; normally disposed to said tapering portions, other diametrically opposite sides of the central body are integral with lateral laminar sections which will form the side walls of the container and helmet, whereby is formed a laminar and cruciform structure, which is foldable, in which said lateral portions in turn include on each side of them, curved fold lines from which there extend foldable portions with straight edges at one of their ends, and with the other end curved and enlarged forming an edge which almost touches said tapered portions of said central body, said foldable portions having a shape practically similar to that of said tapered portions of the central body; the foldable laminar portions which continue beyond the fold lines of the lateral portions of the cruciform structure include slots and tabs which can be engaged and which register with the identical opposite portion.

Description

Holschneider Nov. 4, 1975 UNITARY FOLDABLE LAMINAR BLANK FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CONTAINERS USEFUL AS TOY FOOTBALL HELMETS [76] Inventor: Felipe Holschneider, Monte Altai 413, Mexico 10, D. F., Mexico [22] Filed: May 28, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 473,473

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 1, 1974 Mexico 149614 [52] US. Cl 229/8; 46/157; 46/1 L [51] Int. Cl. B65D 3/00; B65D 5/00 [58] Field of Search 46/1 F, l L, 157; 229/8 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,438,083 12/1922 Baker 46/157 2,063,561 12/1936 S0fo.... 46/157 UX 2,170,953 8/1939 Spots 229/8 UX 2,823,844 2/1958 Frankenstein 229/8 3,212,214 10/1965 Patterson 46/157 3,224,660 12/1965 Willis et al 229/8 3,439,444 4/1969 Smith 46/1 L Primary Examiner-Davis T. Moorhead Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ladas, Parry, Von Gehr, Goldsmith & Deschamps [57] ABSTRACT A unitary, foldable, laminar blank for the manufacture of containers and toy football helmets, comprising bottom, front, rear and side walls; wherein the blank includes a laminar structure having fold lines and cut lines which define a central body having diametrically opposite thereof two tapering integral portions which ends in small coupling tabs; normally disposed to said tapering portions, other diametrically opposite sides of the central body are integral with lateral laminar sections which will form the side walls of the container and helmet, whereby is formed a laminar and cruciform structure, which is foldable, in which said lateral portions in turn include on each side of them, curved fold lines from which there extend foldable portions with straight edges at one of their ends, and with the other end curved and enlarged forming an edge which almost touches said tapered portions of said, central body, said foldable portions having a shape practically similar to that of said tapered portions of the central body; the foldable laminar portions which continue beyond the fold lines of the lateral portions of the cruciform structure include slots and tabs which can be engaged and which register with the identical opposite portion.

2 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures Sheet 1 of 4 U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 2 0f 4 US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 US. Patent -Nov.'4, 1975 Sheet 3 of4 3,917,153

U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet4 0M 3,917,153

UNITARY FOLDABLE LAMINAR BLANK FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CONTAINERS USEFUL AS TOY FOOTBALL HELMETS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention refers in general terms to foldable laminar blanks for the manufacture of containers, and more particularly it concerns to a unitary laminar blank which when assembled provides a novel container that can also be used as a toy football helmet or the like.

Up to the present time, foldable laminar blanks for the manufacture of containers of the kind which hold food, such as popcorn, potato chips and the like have been composed of panels or foldable portions which when assembled always provide a geometric body of the box type, which cannot be utilized for any further purpose than that of container.

Normally these containers are printed with a promotional message in the outside faces of same; however they are discarded by the user once they have served their purpose and their contents have been consumed finishing also with the promotion message.

This type of foldable laminar blank for the manufacture of containers up to the present time has been limited by the impossibility of producing a container having aerodynamic curved lines which would for example allow it, after fulfilling its function as a container, to be used as a toy and particularly as a football helmet or the like. I

Considering this double utilization of the invention as a container and as a helmet the product would become cheaper, since the same article would have two different applications or uses, one following the other, and thus simultaneously the promotional impact of such containers would be increased since the advertising printed thereon would function over a longer period of time than of a mere container.

Another drawback of containers used up to the present time, manufactured from foldable laminar blanks, in relation with the invention is that normally they are composed of more than a single piece, something which implies higher production costs because of the difficulty of assembling and printing the several structures.

A further drawback found in the already known containers of this type is that for assembly, they require staples, adhesive or similar means for holding together the bottom and side walls thereof.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION In view of all the foregoing, it is anobject of this in vention to provide a unitary foldable laminar blank which, once assembled, constitutes a container with bottom and side walls in the interior of which foods such as popcorn, potato chips and the like can be placed, and which, once the articles therein contained are consumed, can further serve the user as a toy helmet and particularly as a football helmet or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a single piece foldable laminar blank which does not require for its assembly special holding means such as adhesives, staples or the like, and which by including curve cut and folding lines and tabs produces once assembled a streamlined container which can after its use as a container be placed on a users head as a toy helmet.

The single piece foldable laminar blank of the present invention includes lines for folding and curved cut lines, providing slots and tabs permitting the easy assembly of the structure, and producing a container with bottom, front, back ans side walls without a top wall, which after being used as a container can be used as a toy football helmet or the like.

The foldable laminar blank comprises lateral portions having curved shapes which extend in diametrically opposite directions from a central portion which tapers toward both ends and which ends in tabs for insertion which are enlarged in their respective middle portions.

Each of said lateral portions in turn has on both its sides, projections joined by curved lines for holding, which projections extend respectively toward the tapered center end portions and increase in size, and in parts said projections reach almost to the said center portion. These said projections which extend on each side of the said lateral portions upon folding are overlaped one upon the other beneath each of the corresponding tapered ends of the central portion, and thus constitute respectively the front and rear walls of the container or the helmet, said front and rear walls thus being made up of three layers. The wider parts of these portions which extend to each side of the lateral portions have certain slits, forming a window iri one of them, into which is inserted a tab formed at the other lateral portion with corresponding cuts forming said tab with a line of fold that provides said tab substantially the same dimension as the window. The foregoing disposition permits of securing the attachment of these portions when they are overlaped, which make up the front and rear walls of the container or helmet, and which internally extend to part of the upper wall of the helmet or to part of the bottom of the container, in a curving manner. 7

Near the slits and tabs above referred to, each one of the portions which extend out from the lateral walls has a corresponding window or slot which when folded register forming a receiver slot which allows the easy attachment of each one of the end tabs of the tapered,

portions of the central portion of the laminar blank, whereby upon rolling or enveloping the said tapered portions around said already overlaped portions a triple layer front and rear walls of the helmet or container are formed.

In oneembodiment of the invention it is included as an aditional feature an insertable laminar structure shaped as a nose protecting frame to the helmet and which serves as handle to the container.

These and other objects to be realized in the practice of the present invention will be more fully understood and perceived upon reading the following description which refers to the accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I, is an unfolded plan view of the unitary foldable laminar blank of the present invention for manufacture of containers which later will be used as my football helmets or the like.

FIG. 2, is a frontal vertical elevational view of the helmet or container which is produced when the foldable laminar blank illustrated in FIG. I is assembled;

FIG. 3, is a longitudinal sectional view of the helmet or container illustrated in FIG. 2. s

FIG. 4, is a bottom view of the helmet or container illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 5, is a conventional perspective view which illustrates the helmet or container as manufactured, which is shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

FIG. 6, is a detail view in elevation illustrating the manner of assembly of the blank forming the front and rear portion of the helmet shown in FIGS. 2 to 5.

FIG. 7, is a cross-sectional view along 7 7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8, is a frontal vertical elevational view similar to that of FIG. 1, but including a laminar structure inserted shaped as a nose protecting frame for the helmet which serves as handle to the container.

FIG. 9, is a fragmentary side elevational view of the invention embodiment shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10, is a detail plan view of the insertable laminar structure constituting the handle of the container shaped as a nose protecting frame for the helmet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings, foldable laminar blank 11 of the present invention includes a central portion 12, tapered toward its ends which will constitute when folded the outside part of the front wall 13 and of the rear wall 14; on each side of the central portion 12, there extend lateral portions 15, thus forming practi' cally a cruciform blank. These lateral portions 15, include fold lines 16 in the form of circle portions which when reach near to central portion 12 constitute cut lines 17. Said lateral walls 15 continue to each side thereof, beyond fold lines 16 into

portions

18 and 19 which include curved cut edges 20 which almost touch

tapered portions

13 and 14 of central portion 12.

These said

portions

18 and 19 on their edges include,

' in one of them an indentation or cut 21 and in the other a pair of cuts 22 and a fold line 23, thus constituting tab 24 which can be introduced into said indentation 2] of

opposite portion

18 or 19.

Near the edge of indentation 21 and tab 24, these said

portions

18 and 19 include respectivelly a slot 25 and a corresponding slot 26, forming when

portions

18 and 19 are overlapped a sort of buttonhole as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, into which is inserted an end tab 29, which extends from

tapered portions

13 and 14, and fold line of these latter two portions overlapping the straight edge 31 of each of

portions

18 or 19. When

portions

13 and 14 are enveloping the double wall of overlaped

portions

18 and 19, they form either the front portion of the helmet or containeror else the rear portion of same.

Lateral walls 15 include a curved projection 32 and may include a perforation 33 so that when assembled they resemble the ear pads of the helmet, and in addition permit easy handling of the helmet or of the container so formed. Tapered

portions

13 and 14 can also be described as straps which envelope overlaping

portions

18 and 19, respectively, to form the front wall of the helmet or container.

Once the helmet or container is assembled, it may hold in its interior a bag of edible material such as popcorn, french fries, etc., and on its outside carry printed advertising material or the like whereby when it has completed its function as a container it can be used as a toy football helmet or the like, or it can be given to the article either of these uses independently.

As will be appreciated in the drawings, in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the outer edges 34 of the helmet and corners 35 thereof are rounded and give it an aerodynamic appearance, which heretofore had not been achieved in containers or similar articles.

In FIGS. 8 10 it is shown an embodiment of the invention wherein it is included a laminar structure 36,

constituted by a strap with slots 37 having its ends 38 enlarged for being inserted and anchored into lateral l cuts 39 practiced in the side walls 15 of the helmet. This laminar structure is added to the helmet in order to resemble the nose protecting device ofa football helmet and it is useful as handle to the container.

Although the foregoing description has been directed to an specific embodiment of the invention, it will .be understood by all persons skilled in the art that any modification in form and detail will be within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A unitary laminar blank of flexible material adapted to be manipulated to form an open container for holding consumer goods such as food and which can also be used as a toy football helmet, having the following combination of features:

a. the periphery of the blank is cut to provide a cruciform arrangement, comprising a central portion (12) having two opposite tapered extensions (13,14) and two opposite lateral portions (15);

b. said tapered extensions (13,14) each have a cou-' pling tab (29) projecting therefrom and each is foldable about a fold line (30)perpendicular to the axis of the extension;

being foldable about curved fold lines (16) at the bases thereof; d. each lateral portion (15) also has a side extension (19) at the opposite side thereof adjacent a side edge of the other tapered extension (14), said side extension (19) being foldable about curved fold lines,(l6) at the bases'thereof;

e. one of the extensions (18) and one of the side extensions (19) hasan indentation (21) at the outer edge thereof; I

f. the other side extension (18) and the other side extension (19) each has a connecting tab ('24) at the outer edge thereof, formed by cuts (22) and corresponding in location to the indentations (21); and

g. each side extension (18) and each side extension (19) has a slot (25, 26) adjacent a corresponding indentation (21) or tab (24), the slots (25, 26) in side extensions (18) being equidistant from the axis of tapered extension (13) and the slots (25, 26) in side extensions (19) being equidistant from the axis of tapered extension (14); whereby, to form the container or helmet, the side extensions (18, 19) and the coupling tabs (29) are folded along their fold lines into substantially perpendicular position with respect to the central portion (12) of the blank, the two lateral portions (15) are bent towards each other to form a rounded configuration at the bends and to effect overlapping of folded side extensions (l8) and overlapping of folded side extensions (19), the indentations (21) and connecting tabs (24) in the side extensions (18, 19) are respectively latched together causing registration of the respective slots (25, 26), the two tapered, extensions (l3, 14) are bent toward each other to form a rounded configuration at portion has a slit (39) therein and a separate strap member (36) is provided having ends (38) adapted for insertion in the slits (39), whereby said strap member serves as a handle for the container or a nose protector for the toy helmet.

Claims

1. A unitary laminar blank of flexible material adapted to be manipulated to form an open container for holding consumer goods such as food and which can also be used as a toy football helmet, having the following combination of features: a. the periphery of the blank is cut to provide a cruciform arrangement, comprising a central portion (12) having two opposite tapered extensions (13,14) and two opposite lateral portions (15); b. said tapered extensions (13,14) each have a coupling tab (29) projecting therefrom and each is foldable about a fold line (30) perpendicular to the axis of the extension; c. each lateral portion (15) has a side extension (18) at one side thereof adjacent a side edge of one tapered extension (13), said side extension (18) being foldable about curved fold lines (16) at the bases thereof; d. each lateral portion (15) also has a side extension (19) at the opposite side thereof adjacent a side edge of the other tapered extension (14), said side extension (19) being foldable about curved fold lines (16) at the bases thereof; e. one of the extensions (18) and one of the side extensions (19) has an indentation (21) at the outer edge thereof; f. the other side extension (18) and the other side extension (19) each has a connecting tab (24) at the outer edge thereof, formed by cuts (22) and corresponding in location to the indentations (21); and g. each side extension (18) and each side extension (19) has a slot (25, 26) adjacent a corresponding indentation (21) or tab (24), the slots (25, 26) in side extensions (18) being equidistant from the axis of tapered extension (13) and the slots (25, 26) in side extensions (19) being equidistant from the axis of tapered extension (14); whereby, to form the container or helmet, the side extensions (18, 19) and the coupling tabs (29) are folded along their fold lines into substantially perpendicular position with respect to the central portion (12) of the blank, the two lateral portions (15) are bent towards each other to form a rounded configuration at the bends and to effect overlapping of folded side extensions (18) and overlapping of folded side extensions (19), the indentations (21) and connecting tabs (24) in the side extensions (18, 19) are respectively latched together causing registration of the respective slots (25, 26), the two tapered extensions (13, 14) are bent toward each other to form a rounded configuration at the bends, and the two coupling tabs (29) are then inserted into the corresponding registered slots (25, 26) to maintain the bent and folded portions of the blank in position with the central portion (12) forming the bottom of the container or the top of the helmet.

2. A blank according to claim 1 in which each lateral portion has a slit (39) therein and a separate strap member (36) is provided having ends (38) adapted for insertion in the slits (39), whereby said strap member serves as a handle for the container or a nose protector for the toy helmet.