WO2006072132A1

WO2006072132A1 - A casket

Info

Publication number: WO2006072132A1
Application number: PCT/AU2006/000003
Authority: WO
Inventors: Clive R. Allison
Original assignee: Allison Clive R
Priority date: 2005-01-06
Filing date: 2006-01-05
Publication date: 2006-07-13

Abstract

A casket (1) for a deceased person that may include, a base (40), at least one panel (30) upstanding from the base (40), the base (40) and at least one panel (30) defining an open compartment for receiving a deceased person, and at least one handle (90) attached to the at least one panel (30) for carrying the casket (1). At least part of the at least one panel (30) may slope outwardly from the base (40) and the handle (90) may be stowable to permit nesting of the casket (1) in the open compartment of another said casket for stacking of a plurality of the caskets.

Description

A CASKET

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a casket that is particularly suitable for use as a casket for the body of a deceased person. For the sake of convenience, the term casket is used in the foregoing discussion of the invention, however, it is to be appreciated that such reference to a casket includes a reference to a coffin.

Background of the Invention In the case of a container such as a casket its purpose is to provide an internal void space large enough to contain the body of a deceased person. As a consequence, the external size and volume of a casket is generally large so that it can contain the body of a deceased person.

Existing caskets are produced with a base and upstanding walls that only allow stacking of one such casket completely on top of another. When a number of such caskets are stacked in this way the stacked caskets occupy an overall volume, of which a significant proportion is made up of the void spaces within the stacked caskets.

It is desirable to be able to transport a number of caskets in a means of transport such as a shipping or road transport container. However, when a means of transport is filled with a number of existing stacked caskets there is a significant volume within the means of transport that is made up by the void space within the caskets. Accordingly, the transportation of such existing caskets over significant distances is considered inefficient and costly. For these reasons the manufacture of caskets of the above type is usually carried out at a location that avoids the necessity of transporting them significant distances. This mitigates cost effective, large scale manufacturing of such caskets and the commercial benefits that would be associated with large scale manufacturing of these articles. Caskets often include outwardly extending protrusions, such as handles, that enable the casket to be carried by hand or by other means. It is often desirable for a casket to be able to be carried in such a manner that the body of a deceased contained the casket is maintained in a steady state. Handles may be attached to, and extend outwardly from, one or more of the walls of the casket to facilitate carrying the casket with the base remaining substantially horizontal. These handles need to be large and sturdy enough to enable them to support the considerable weight of the overall casket as well as the deceased's body contained within the casket. Handles that are permanently attached and extend outwardly from the wall of a casket may, if the casket is stacked on a like casket, prevent the casket from nesting therewithin. This is because the handles will be caught on the upper edges of a wall of the casket beneath. Accordingly, permanently attached handles that extend outwardly from one or more walls of existing caskets mitigate nesting a casket within another like casket. The result is that efficient and cost effective transportation is also mitigated.

Not only do manufacturers suffer from the inability to cheaply and efficiently transport caskets but so too do consumers. The inability of manufacturers to cost effectively transport these caskets reduces consumer choice and results in higher prices.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a container such as a casket that is economical to transport and, thereby, ameliorates the problems outlined above.

Summary of the Invention

In one aspect, the present invention provides a casket for a deceased person, the casket including: a base; and at least one panel upstanding from the base, the base and at least one panel defining an open compartment for receiving a deceased person therein; wherein at least part of the at least one panel slopes outwardly from the base to permit nesting of the casket in the open compartment of another said casket for stacking of a plurality of the caskets.

This aspect of the invention is advantageous in that a casket may be stacked on and nested within a like casket. The like casket may similarly be stacked on and nested within another like casket and so on such that a plurality of caskets of the invention may occupy a lesser overall height and volume than the same number of caskets stacked one completely on top of another. The invention may thereby enable more caskets to be stacked within a given height and/or volume of space within a means of transport than has previously been possible. In addition to enabling efficient and cost effective transportation the present invention also enables quantities of caskets of the invention to be more efficiently stockpiled after production, thus, making it cost effective to maintain inventories of caskets of the invention for later distribution. The above advantages of the present invention, by enabling large scale production of caskets, provide benefits to manufacturers and consumers alike.

In at least one preferred embodiment of the present invention substantially all of the at least one panel slopes outwardly from the base such that the base and substantially all of the at least one panel of the casket are nestable within another said casket.

The advantage of this embodiment of the invention is that transport and stockpile efficiencies may be maximised by allowing a maximal number of caskets to be stacked within a given height and/or volume within a means of transport or warehouse.

In another embodiment, the casket of the invention may include at least one pair of adjacent panels upstanding from the base. Each panel may have four edges defining a trapezoidal shape, a first set of two edges being parallel to each other and having different lengths and a second set of two edges not being parallel to each other, the shorter of the edges of the first set being joined to the base and the panel upstanding therefrom, and an edge of the second set being joined to an edge of a second edge set of the adjacent panel to support the pair of adjacent panels in position sloped outwardly from the base. Preferably, the longer of the first set edges of the adjacent panels meet at the join of the second set edges of the adjacent panels and the join has an equal angular displacement in the plane of the base from each of the meeting longer first set edges.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a casket for a deceased person, the casket including: a base; and at least one panel upstanding from the base; and at least one handle attached to the at least one panel for carrying the casket; wherein the handle is movable between an operable position extending outwardly from the at least one panel for carrying the casket, to a stowed position retracted inwardly towards the at least one panel.

An advantage of this aspect of the invention is that it provides a casket including handles, that may be attached either permanently or otherwise, yet do not mitigate stacking and nesting of a plurality of like caskets. The invention may thereby provide a casket including handles that is able to be efficiently stacked within a given height and/or volume of space within a means of transport or warehouse.

In at least one other embodiment of the present invention the handles are attached to the at least one panel by a mechanism that allows the handles to move between the operable and stowed positions. The mechanism may take any suitable form and preferably include either or both of: a hinge that enables the handle to swing between the operable position and the stowed position; and, at least one elongate member, one end of the elongate member being attached to the handle, and the elongate member being longitudinally slidable within an aperture in the at least one panel for providing linear movement of the handle between the operable and stowed positions. Preferably, when the at least one handle is in the stowed position it is flush with any one of a group including the at least one of the panels and an ornament provided on the at least one of the panels.

These embodiments of the invention enables handles to preferably be permanently attached to the at least one of the panels while allowing the handles to move between an operable position for carrying the casket by hand and a stowed position for when casket are to be stacked and nested.

Preferably the casket of the invention will include a lid being movable between an open position in which the compartment is open and a closed position in which the compartment is closed, the casket being nestable in another said casket with the lid in the open position. In the closed position the lid may be detachably fastenable to a region distal to the base of an at least one panel. Alternatively, the lid may be hingedly attached to a region distal to the base of an at least one panel for enabling the lid to move in an arc between the open position and the closed position. The hingedly attached lid may also include a latch for releasably retaining the lid in the closed position. The preferred configurations and attachments of the lid outlined above may be included so as not to impede the stacking and nesting advantages of the present invention outlined above.

In an embodiment the present invention may include a casket including opposing panels defining the compartment between the panels and a platform disposed within the compartment. The platform may extend in a plane substantially parallel to the base to form at least part of a lower internal surface of the casket and be co-operable with the opposing panels for adjusting the dimensions of the compartment to receive deceased persons of different sizes. In this embodiment, objects may be placed on the platform instead of directly on the base of the casket. The invention may include means for spacing the platform at a predetermined distance from the base of the casket The spacing means may include means for adjusting the predetermined distance from the base of the casket. The platform may be co-operable with the opposing panels of the casket in that when the platform is set relatively close to the base the dimensions between the opposing panels in the plane of the lower internal surface of the casket are relatively small. This setting may be suited to containing a smaller deceased person within the casket. In contrast, when the platform is set relatively far from the base the dimensions between the opposing panels in the plane of the lower internal surface of the casket are relatively large. This setting may be suited to containing a larger deceased person within the casket. An advantage of these embodiments is that a casket may be adapted to a range of deceased body sizes that would ordinarily necessitate more than one size casket. The following detailed description refers to preferred embodiments of the casket of the present invention. To facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made in the detailed description to the accompanying drawings where a preferred embodiment of the casket of the present invention is illustrated in the form of a casket suitable for containing the body of a deceased person. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments as hereinafter described nor the most preferred embodiment of a casket as illustrated in the drawings.

In the drawings, where the same reference numerals identify the same or like components; Figure 1 is a side view of a casket in accordance with the invention with handles not shown;

Figure 2 is a section view of a narrow region of the casket of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a section view of a wide region of the casket of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of a portion of the casket of Figure 1 in which a joint is shown in detail.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a lid for the casket of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a dismantled casket of Figure 1 ;

Figure 7 is a top view of a casket of Figure 1 ;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a casket according to the invention; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the casket of Figure 8 with one preferred handle shown in an operative position

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the casket of Figure 8 with the handle shown in a stowed position;

Figure 1 1 is a perspective view of the casket of Figure 8 with the lid open to show preferred means of attachment of the lid to the upper edge region of side panels of the casket;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the base, handle and handle mechanism and rail of the casket of Figure 8;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the underside of a platform of a preferred embodiment of the casket of either Figure 1 or 8; and

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the top side of the platform of Figure 13. Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring to Figures 1 , 6, and 8 there is generally shown a casket 1 having flat side panels 10, flat end panels 30 and a flat base 40. The side panels 10 and end panels 30 are upstanding relative to the base and slope outwardly from the base 40.

In the assembled casket 1 of Figures 1 , 7, 9, 10 and 1 1 each of the side panels 10 and end panels 30 are trapezoidal in shape so that when joined to an edge 42 of the base 40, and to each other at joins 22, they are supported upstanding and outwardly sloping from the base 40. In other words, the side panels 10 and end panels 30 are arranged at an obtuse angular displacement from the base 40. As is apparent in figures 1 to 3 and 6 to 1 1 each of the at least one panel has four edges defining a trapezoidal shape for each panel. As particularly shown in Figure 6, a first set of edges 17, 19 consists of two edges parallel to each other and having different lengths and a second set of edges 16, 18 consists of the other two edges 16, 18 not parallel to each other, the shorter of the first set of edges 17 is joined to the base 40 and each panel upstands therefrom, each second set edge 16, 18 is joined to a second set edge 16, 18 of an adjacent panel 10, 30 to support each panel 10, 30 in position sloped outwardly from the base 40. As is illustrated in Figure 7, the longer of the first set edges 19 of adjacent panels 10, 30 meet at joins 22 of the second set edges 16, 18 of the adjacent panels 10, 30 and the joins 22 have an equal angular displacement in the plane of the base 40 from each of the meeting longer first set edges 19.

Any suitable means such as glue, nails, screws, fasteners and the like, or any combination thereof may be used to effect the joining between the panels 10, 30 and the base 40. Figure 4 shows a preferred means of joining the panels 10, 30 to the base 40. In particular, a rebate 20 is provided in the panel 10, 30 into which is inserted a protrusion 25 of the base 40. Any suitable means such as an adhesive, nails, screws or any combination thereof may be used to retain the protrusion 25 in the rebate 20. Figure 6 shows a preferred means of joining adjacent panels 10, 30 along their second set edges 16, 18 is by fastening strips 60, formed of a synthetic material or a natural material such as wood. A portion of the fastening strip 60 is inserted and retained in a recess 14 provided in a second set edge 16, 18 of the panels 10, 30. The remaining portion of the fastening strip 60 is inserted and retained in a like recess 14 in a second set edge 16, 18 of an adjacent panel 10, 30 so that two panels 10, 30 are, thereby, joined together by the strip 60 along the join 22. It is to be appreciated, however, that the means by which adjacent panels 10, 30 are joined is not essential to the invention and can be carried out by any suitable means such as glue, nails, screws, fasteners and the like, or any combination thereof.

The base 40 with upstanding and outwardly sloping side panels 10 and end panels 30 provide the casket 1 with a closed end, provided by the base 40, and an open end 50, defined by the first set edges 19 of the panels 10, 30 of the assembled casket 1 , that is larger than the base 40 of another like casket 1. The advantage of this aspect of the invention is that a casket 1 of the invention may receive the base 40 and a portion of the panels 10, 30 of another like casket 1 stacked thereon. Thus, when a plurality of caskets 1 of the invention are stacked they may each be nested within the like casket beneath.

The casket 1 of the present invention, rather than being empty during transportation, can contain a portion of another like casket 1 when stacked for transportation and/or storage. Similarly, the present invention provides the same benefits for storing caskets 1 of the invention in a a storage repository such as a warehouse. Consequently, stacked caskets 1 of the present invention may occupy a significantly reduced overall volume, which is particularly advantageous for efficiently and cost effectively transporting and storing caskets 1 in significant numbers.

Although the embodiment of the invention depicted in Figures 1 to 1 1 include panels 10, 30 that are trapezoidal this may not be necessary to achieve a casket 1 having the advantages of the invention discussed above. Accordingly, the present invention is not so limited to panels 10, 30 that are trapezoidal in shape. For example, the casket 1 of the present invention may have an obrund base 40 and a continuous panel 10, 30 in the form of a zone of an ellipsoid. Alternatively, the casket 1 may have rectilinear base 40, two trapezoidal side panels 10 and two trapezoidal end panels 30 forming a frusto- pyramidal body. In yet another alternative as shown in Figures 8 to 12 the casket 1 may have an octagonal base 40 and eight trapezoidal side panels 10, 30 forming an octagonal prism body. Each of these alternatives, as well as others, would achieve the advantage of the invention of providing a casket 1 that may be stacked on, and nested within, a like casket 1 beneath.

The casket 1 of the invention may also include one or more handles 90 movably attached to one or more of the panels 10, 30. The handles 90 may be movable from an operable position as shown in Figures 9 and 1 1 where the handles 90 extend outwardly from one or more of the panels 10, 30 for carrying the casket 1 , to a stowed position as shown in Figure 10 in which the handles 90 are retracted inwardly towards the one or more panels 10, 30 to permit stacking and nesting of a plurality of the caskets 1. Figures 9 and 10 show the handle 90 movably attached to a side panel 10 by a mechanism 95. The mechanism 95, which is shown in detail in Figure 12, may include two horizontally disposed elongate members 96 attached at one end to the handle 90. The other end of the elongate members 96 pass through apertures 98 in the panel 10 of the casket 1 and are able to slide longitudinally therein. An abutment member 94 is attached to the elongate members 96 distally to the handle 90. When the handle 90 is in the operable position the abutment member 94 abuts against an inner surface of the panel 10 to prevent the elongate members 96 from sliding beyond the point where the handle 90 is in the operable position. When the handle 90 is moved from the operable position to the stowed position the handle 90 abuts the outer surface of the panel 10. The mechanism 95 may take any other suitable form such as, for example, a hinge mechanism that enables the handle 90 to swing through an arc range of motion from the operable position to the stowed position. In Figures 9 to 1 1 the casket 1 includes an ornate elongate rail 100 which is formed, in the embodiment shown, along the lower edge of the panels 10, 30 of the casket 1 and protrudes outwardly from the panels 10, 30. The rail 100 and the handles 90 are shown in detail in Figure 12. The rail 100 is not continuous and has gaps to receive the handle 90 when the handle is in the stowed position. When the handle 90 is in the stowed position it does not protrude outwardly beyond the rail 100 but, rather, is flush with the rail 100. An alternative embodiment, not shown, may include an arrangement where the handle 90, in the stowed position, is flush with one or more of the panels 10, 30 that are adjacent to the handle 90 when the handle 90 is in the stowed position. When a casket 1 of the invention is stacked on, and nested within another like casket the handle 90, in the stowed position, does not catch on the upstanding panels 10, 30 of the casket 1 beneath. In other words, stacking and nesting a plurality of caskets 1 of the invention on one another is not impeded when the handles 90 are in the stowed position. Accordingly, the handles 90 of the casket 1 of the invention may enable more efficient transportation and storage of a number of caskets 1 while retaining the advantages of a casket 1 provided with one or more handles 90 attached to one or more of the panels 10, 30.

Figures 9 to 1 1 show a casket 1 of the invention provided with a lid 110 that, although not essential to the present invention, nevertheless usually accompanies a casket 1. Figure 5 shows a lid 1 10 suitably shaped for the casket 1 of Figures 1 to 4, 6 and 7. Generally, the lid 1 10 will be shaped to enclose the opening 50 defined by the longer first set edges 19 of the panels 10, 30 of the casket 1. The lid 110, which may take any suitable form, is shown in Figure 1 1 to be attached by one or more hinges 1 15 to an upper region or longer first set edges 19 of a panel 10, 30. Alternatively the lid 1 10 may be detachably fastened to the upper region or longer first set edges 19 of a panel 10, 30. It is advantageous in the context of the present invention if the configuration and attachment of the lid 1 10 to the casket 1 is such as not to impede the stacking and nesting advantages of the present invention outlined above. For example, the one or more hinges 1 15 should enable the lid 1 10 to swing through an arc of movement between a closed position for closing the opening 50 of the casket 1 and an open position in which the lid 1 10 does not impinge upon or prevent, stacking thereon, and nesting therein a like casket 1.

Figures 13 and 14 show a platform 120 of a preferred casket 1. The platform 120 has a platform panel 122 and two spacers 124 affixed to a first surface 126 of the platform panel 122. Opposite the first surface 126 is a second surface 128. The platform 120 is included in a preferred casket 1 of the invention that is not shown. To assist in understanding the structure and function of the platform 120 of Figure 1 1 reference is made below to the casket 1 of Figure 1.

The platform 120 is disposed on the base 40 of the casket 1 with the spacers 124 and first surface 126 of the platform 120 facing the base 40. The second surface 128 of the platform 120, instead of the base 40, thereby forms part, or all, of a lower internal surface of the casket 1. Accordingly, one or more objects may be placed on the second surface 128 of the platform 120 instead of directly on the base 40. In this preferred embodiment of the casket 1 , a body, or part of a body, of a deceased person may be placed on the second surface 128 of the platform 120 instead of directly on the base 40 of the casket 1. The spacers 124 provide a means to suspend the platform panel at a predetermined height above the base 40 of the casket 1 to enable part or all of the one or more objects to be similarly suspended above the base 40. An alternative form of the platform 120 (not shown) may have spacers 124 that allow for adjustability of the height of the platform panel 122 above the base 40.

In these embodiments of the invention the platform 120 is co-operable with the sloping side panels 10 and end panels 30. In particular, when the platform panel 122 is set relatively low above the base 40 of the casket 1 the dimensions between opposing side panels 10 and opposing end panels 30 in the plane defined by the first surface 128 of the platform 120 are relatively small. This setting is suited to containing one or more smaller objects in the casket 1 such as a relatively smaller body of a deceased person. In contrast, when the platform panel 122 is set relatively high the dimensions between the side panels 10 and end panels 30, in the plane defined by the first surface 128 of the platform 120, are relatively large. This setting is suited to containing one or more larger objects in the casket 1 such as a relatively larger body of a deceased person.

The advantage of these embodiments is that the casket 1 of the invention may be adapted to suit the bodies of deceased persons of a range of sizes that would ordinarily necessitate more than one size casket.

Finally it is to be understood that various other modifications and/or alterations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as disclosed herein.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A casket for a deceased person, the casket including: a base; and at least one panel upstanding from the base, the base and at least one panel defining an open compartment for receiving a deceased person therein; wherein at least part of the at least one panel slopes outwardly from the base to permit nesting of the casket in the open compartment of another said casket for stacking of a plurality of the caskets.

2. A casket of claim 1 , wherein substantially all of the at least one panel slopes outwardly from the base such that the base and substantially all of the at least one panel of the casket are nestable within another said casket.

3. A casket of claim 1 or 2, including at least one pair of adjacent panels upstanding from the base wherein each panel has four edges defining a trapezoidal shape, a first set of two edges being parallel to each other and having different lengths and a second set of two edges not being parallel to each other, the shorter of the edges of the first set being joined to the base and the panel upstanding therefrom, and an edge of the second set being joined to an edge of a second edge set of the adjacent panel to support the pair of adjacent panels in position sloped outwardly from the base.

4. A casket of claim 3, wherein the longer of the first set edges of the adjacent panels meet at the join of the second set edges of the adjacent panels and the join has an equal angular displacement in the plane of the base from each of the meeting longer first set edges.

5. A casket for a deceased person the casket including: a base; and at least one panel upstanding from the base; and at least one handle attached to the at least one panel for carrying the casket; wherein the handle is movable between an operable position extending outwardly from the at least one panel for carrying the casket, and a stowed position retracted inwardly towards the at least one panel.

6. A casket of claim 5, wherein the at least one handle is movably attached to the at least one panel of the casket by a mechanism that allows the at least one handle to move between the operable and stowed positions.

7. A casket of claim 6, wherein the mechanism includes a hinge that enables the at least one handle to swing between the operable and stowed positions.

8. A casket of claim 6, wherein the mechanism includes at least one elongate member, one end of the elongate member being attached to the handle, and the elongate member being longitudinally slideable within an aperture in the at least one of the panels for providing linear movement of the at least one handle between the operable and stowed positions.

9. A casket of any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the at least one handle is permanently attached to the at least one of the panels.

10. A casket of any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein when the at least one handle is in the stowed position it is flush with any one of a group including the at least one of the panels and an ornament provided on the at least one of the panels.

1 1. A casket of any preceding claim, including a lid being movable between an open position in which the compartment is open and a closed position in which the compartment is closed, the casket being nestable in another said casket with the lid in the open position.

12. A casket of claim 1 1 , wherein in the closed position the lid is detachably fastenable to a region distal to the base of an at least one panel.

13. A casket of claim 1 1 or 12, wherein the lid is hingedly attached to a region distal to the base of an at least one panel for enabling the lid to move in an arc between the open position and the closed position.

14. A casket of claim 13, wherein the lid includes a latch for releasably retaining the lid in the closed position.

15. A casket of any preceding claim, including opposing panels defining the compartment between the panels, and a platform within the compartment extending in a plane substantially parallel to the base, the platform forming at least part of a lower internal surface of the casket and being co-operable with the opposing panels for adjusting the dimensions of the compartment to receive deceased persons of different sizes.

16. A casket of claim 15, including means for spacing the platform at a predetermined distance from the base.

17. A casket of claim 16, wherein the spacing means includes means for adjusting the predetermined distance from the base.

18. A casket for a deceased person the casket including: a base; at least one panel upstanding from the base, the base and at least one panel defining an open compartment for receiving a deceased person; and at least one handle attached to the at least one panel for carrying the casket; wherein at least part of the at least one panel slopes outwardly from the base and the handle is stowable to permit nesting of the casket in the open compartment of another said casket for stacking of a plurality of the caskets.