Abstract:
A storage container for storing ornaments in a hanging orientation is provided. The container is comprised of a box and a plurality of ornament supportable cross-members which extend across the opening defined by the box. In use, a person hangs ornaments from the cross-members by placing a portion of the ornament&#39;s hook in a hole formed within the cross-members.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/108,786, filed Jul. 2, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,536, entitled Hanging Ornament Storage Container. 
     
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not applicable.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a storage container for storing ornaments in a hanging orientation. More particularly, this invention relates to a storage container having a number of parallel cross-members reaching from one side to another which can be used for storing ornaments in a hanging orientation from the cross-members.  
           [0004]    It is a common occurrence for people to collect and accumulate several different types of decorative items of a seasonal nature these days. These items are placed out around the house during their particular season and then stored until used again the following year. Many of these items can be quite valuable because of monetary (such as a collectors item) or sentimental (such as a family heirloom) reasons and are almost always fragile. The fragile nature of these valuable items makes the method used to store them important.  
           [0005]    One such seasonal item that can be valuable and require careful storage is a Christmas tree ornament. Christmas tree ornaments are most often made of a thin walled glass ball which has an opening in the top where an ornament hanger or hook can be attached. The ornaments are then hung on the branches of a Christmas tree during the Christmas season.  
           [0006]    After Christmas, most people store their ornaments by laying them as gently as possible in the bottom of a box, one on top of the other until the box is filled. This method has several drawbacks. The most important drawback is that regardless of how carefully the ornaments are put in the box and the box is handled, inevitably, some of the ornaments get broken or smashed from the weight of other ornaments resting on them.  
           [0007]    Another drawback to this method of storage is that the ornament hooks always get tangled together making tree decorating the following season difficult and time consuming. Therefore, there is a need for a storage container which can quickly, easily and effectively store ornaments in a safe and organized manner. The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art and fills these and other needs.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    It is a general object of the present invention to quickly and efficiently store ornaments in a safe and organized hanging arrangement.  
           [0009]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an ornament storage container that is simple and easy to use.  
           [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to store ornaments in a way that greatly reduces the possibility of breakage or smashing.  
           [0011]    A further object of the present invention is to provide an ornament storage container that is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.  
           [0012]    In order to overcome the above stated problems and limitations and to achieve the noted objects, there is provided an ornament storage container which can be used to store hanging ornaments in successive rows in a hanging orientation.  
           [0013]    In general, the ornament storage container comprises a box with successive parallel cross-members running from one side of the box to an opposite side, that have been adapted to securely receive an ornament hook of a hanging ornament, and a lid to cover the box and thereby keep dust or pests out during storage.  
           [0014]    One embodiment is preferably made entirely out of corrugated cardboard and in such a manner that the box may be folded up for ease in packaging for initial sale, ease in storing the container when not in use, ease in manufacturing and to provide an inexpensive product.  
           [0015]    Another embodiment is preferably made entirely out of plastic. This arrangement can provide a lid for the container that can be secured in an air-tight fashion in order to prevent pests, such as mice, moths or bugs, or water from being able to enter the container and damage any ornaments that are susceptible to such damage, namely cloth or fabric type ornaments.  
           [0016]    A third embodiment is preferably a combination of cardboard and plastic components. This combination is preferably a cardboard support structure made to fit inside already available standard plastic storage containers. This cardboard insert would allow consumers to retrofit their existing storage containers and thereby convert them into hanging ornament storage containers of the present invention.  
           [0017]    Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention over the prior art will become apparent from the detailed description of the drawings which follows, when considered with the attached figures.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0018]    The objects and features of the invention noted above are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and in which:  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the hanging ornament storage container of the present invention in use;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the first embodiment of the container of the present invention with the broken lines showing the container in a collapsed position;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a corner portion of the container shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on a vertical plane through the container shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a corner portion of a container constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on a vertical plane through a container constructed in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention in use.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a hanging ornament support structure insert constructed in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a corner portion of a container constructed in accordance with a forth embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]    Referring now to the drawings in detail and initially to FIG. 1, numeral  10  generally designates a hanging ornament storage container constructed in accordance with the present invention. The container  10  is primarily comprised of a box  12  and a plurality of ornament supportable cross-members  14  which are supported by the box  12  over a bottom portion  16  thereof. The container  10  preferably also includes a lid  18 , a pair of handles  20 , 22 , and holes or apertures  24  in the cross-members  14  to receive a hook  26  of a Christmas ornament  28 .  
         [0029]    The preferred first embodiment of the box  12 , as pictured in FIG. 1, is preferably made of corrugated cardboard and has a front wall  30 , a rear wall  32 , two side walls  34 , 36 , and the bottom  16 . An open volume or expanse  38  is formed inside of the walls  30 , 32 , 34 , 36  and above the bottom  16  of the box  12 . The bottom  16  of the box  12 , as best illustrated in FIG. 2, is comprised of several flaps  40  which can be interlocked or folded together when the box  12  is in use. The solid line depiction in FIG. 2 shows the container  10  in a first, rectangular, open, use position. The dashed line depiction of the drawing shows the container  10  in a collapsed, storage or sale position. The flaps  40  allow the box  12  to be folded down and collapsed to a flat condition when not in use. This smaller shape lets the container  10  take up less space when not in use and less space on a shelf in a store for initial sale. This box  12  is of a type generally known in the art.  
         [0030]    The box  12  preferably also includes the two handles  20 , 22  for carrying the container  10 . Both handles  20 , 22  are preferably located on their respective side wall  34 , 36  equidistant from the front wall  30  and the rear wall  32 , and closer to an upper periphery  42  of the box  12  than to the bottom  16 . FIG. 1 illustrates the handles  20 , 22  as holes in the side walls  34 , 36 . FIG. 6, on the other hand, illustrates a handle  120  that enables one to make an air-tight container  110 . Both of these types of handles  20 , 22  and  120  are within the scope of the present invention, as are other handles which are known by one of ordinary skill in the art to be equivalent.  
         [0031]    The ornament supportable cross-members  14  are each preferably an elongate piece having a front end  44  and an opposing rear end  46 . Each cross-member  14  is positioned in the box  12  such that the front end  44  of the cross-member  14  is supported by the front wall  30  and the rear end  46  of the cross-member  14  is supported by rear wall  32 . The plurality of cross-members  14  are preferably arranged in a substantially parallel orientation to each other and are preferably also substantially parallel to the sides  34 , 36 . The cross-members  14  could, of course, be of different shapes or in a different orientation within the box provided they are able to perform the function of supporting ornaments  28  in a hanging orientation. Additionally, the cross-members  14  could span over only a portion of the bottom  16  and could be supported in other manners than attachment to the sides  34 , 36 .  
         [0032]    In the preferred first embodiment, each cross-member  14  includes a plurality of holes or apertures  24  therein for receiving the hook  26  of a Christmas ornament  28 . While the cross-members  14  have been found to work fine without holes  24 , the holes  24  are beneficial because they allow a user to hang an ornament  28  on the cross-member  14  in a desired location. If the hook  26  of the ornament  28  is merely placed over the cross-member  14 , the ornament  28  may slide along the cross-member  14  during movement of the container  10  which may result in some ornaments  28  hitting each other and becoming damaged. The cross-members  14  could have annular grooves (not pictured) placed therein to prevent hooks  26  from sliding along the cross-members  14 , however, the holes  24  have been found to be satisfactory in most applications.  
         [0033]    In the preferred first embodiment of the present invention, the cross-members  14  are made of corrugated cardboard. In this embodiment, the cross-members  14  are supported by the front and rear walls  30 , 32  at their ends  44 , 46  preferably by gluing a portion of the ends  44 , 46  to the walls  30 , 32  near the upper periphery  42  thereof. The ends  44 , 46  of the cross-members  14  each preferably have a bend  48 . The bends  48  in the ends  44 , 46  of the cross-members  14  are in opposite directions of each other. This allows the cross-members  14  to remain attached to the box  12  when the box  12  is folded down and collapsed to a flat condition when not in use (dashed line depiction in FIG. 2). Also, bending the ends  44 , 46  of the cross-members  14  in this manner allows the box  12  to collapse more easily than if the ends  44 , 46  were bent in the same direction.  
         [0034]    The bend  48  also forms a tab  50  at the ends  44 , 46  of the cross-members for attaching the cross-members  14  to the walls  30 , 32  of the box  12  (best viewed in FIG. 2). The tabs  50  are perpendicular to the cross-members  14  when the box  12  is in use. The tabs  50  also provide relatively large surface areas for gluing to the box  12 , thus providing a strong attachment of the cross-members  14  that is able to stand up to repeated folding and unfolding of the box  12 . Alternatively, or additionally, the tabs  50  may be attached to the walls  30 , 32 , 34 , 36  by staples  52  (FIG. 3).  
         [0035]    As best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and  4 , corrugated cardboard, when used to make the cross-members  14 , should be positioned such that the tunnels naturally provided by the corrugations are in a vertical orientation. This arrangement has several benefits.  
         [0036]    One benefit provided by this arrangement is greater rigidity in the cross-members  14  than if the tunnels were in a horizontal orientation. Even greater rigidity can be achieved by doubling up the cross-members  14  or by using thicker cardboard than what is illustrated. Another benefit is that the vertical tunnels naturally provide the plurality of desired holes  24  on an upwardly facing portion of the cross-members  14  capable of receiving the ornament hooks  26 . Other benefits include ease of manufacturing, low material costs, light weight yet sturdy components, and its ready availability in the container industry.  
         [0037]    The lid  18  is also of a type generally known in the art. The lid  18  preferably includes a flat cover portion  54  having an outer periphery  56 . Depending downwardly from the outer periphery  56  of the cover portion  54  is a flange or an overlapping portion  58  which is designed to fit closely around and overlap the upper periphery  42  of the box  12  when the lid  18  engages the box  12 . In addition to performing the function of closing the box  12  up, the cover portion  54  of the lid  18  also acts to prevent the hooks  26  from coming out of the holes  24  during movement of the container  10 .  
         [0038]    A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and  7 . In these figures, parts that are similar to or correspond to parts that are depicted in FIGS.  1 - 4  are identified by similar reference numbers in the  100   s.  In the second embodiment, all of the parts of the container  110  are made of plastic. The cross-member  114  is a plastic rod having a square or rectangular cross-section. Preferably, the cross-members  114  also have a plurality of evenly spaced holes  124  therethrough in a vertical orientation.  
         [0039]    In this embodiment, each cross-member  114  is supported by the front and rear walls  130 , 132  at its ends  144 , 146 . Preferably, a plurality of notches  60  are formed in walls  30  and  32  adjacent to the upper periphery  142 , and the ends  144  and  146  fit closely yet removably in the notches  60  to hold the cross-members  114  in place. This arrangement allows for the quick removal of all or some of the cross-members  114  such that the container  110  may be customized depending on its particular use and contents.  
         [0040]    Other benefits of the second embodiment include the ability to have the lid  118  be air tight, to prevent water damage or to prevent damage from pests, and to provide a more durable container.  
         [0041]    A third embodiment of the present is illustrated in FIG. 8. The third embodiment is a hanging ornament support structure insert  210 . The insert  210  could be either of the embodiments previously described and illustrated but for the removal of the bottom  16  or  116 . The insert  210  is constructed with walls  230 , 232 , 234 , 236  and cross-members  214  extending between opposing walls  230 , 232 . Preferably the insert  210  is made to fit into previously existing and readily available plastic storage containers such as the type sold under the Rubbermaid® mark.  
         [0042]    A benefit of this third embodiment is the ability of a consumer, who already owns a plastic storage container, to purchase the cardboard or plastic insert  210  and retrofit or convert their existing storage container into a hanging ornament storage container. Another benefit of this embodiment is the ability to stack several cardboard or plastic inserts  210  on top of each other and thereby provide multiple, individually removable layers of ornament hanging cross-members  214 .  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 9 illustrates a fourth embodiment which is a variation to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the cross-members  14  extend through slots  62  in the walls  30  and  32  such that the walls  30  and  32  support the cross-members  14  directly instead of indirectly via the tabs  50 . In this arrangement, the tabs  50  are attached to the walls  30 , 32  on the outside of the container  10 , as opposed to the inside of the container  10 . While the primary function of the tabs  50  in the first embodiment is to provide support for the cross-members  14 , the primary function of the tabs  50  in this embodiment is to secure the cross-members in place.  
         [0044]    The slots  62  provide greater support than the first embodiment by allowing the cross-members  14  to rest directly on a portion of the walls  30 , 32 . This allows the weight of the ornaments  28  to be passed directly from the cross-members  14  to the walls  30 , 32  without having to go through the tabs  50 . While this embodiment sacrifices some of the collapsibility of the first embodiment, it provides sturdier cross-members  14 .  
         [0045]    In use, the user hangs an ornament  28  on a cross-member  14 , 114 , 214  by placing a free end  64  of the ornament hook  26  into one of the holes  24 , 124 , 224  in the cross-member  14 , 114 , 214 . An end of the hook  26  opposite the free end  64  is attached to an anchor  66 , a portion of which is located inside the ornament  28  and a portion of which is surrounded by a ring or cap  68 . If extra protection is desired, the user may fill the container  10 , 110 , 210  with packing peanuts  70  (FIG. 7) after all of the desired ornaments  28  are hung inside. The holes  24 , 124 , 224  are selected sot that adjacent ornaments  28  do not bang into each other. Similarly, the cross-members  14 , 114 , 214  are spaced apart far enough to avoid contact between ornaments  28  hanging on adjacent cross-members  14 , 114 , 214 .  
         [0046]    From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.  
         [0047]    It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.  
         [0048]    Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative of applications of the principles of this invention, and not in a limiting sense.