Abstract:
An airtight, water tight sealing and resealing system for food products and other such perishables. The sealing system may include one sheet of material or a combination of materials divided into panels, including corner foldable panels, which when folded link a set of side panels together to encompass a sealed storage container. A series of corner folding and side panels are secured wherein the corner panels are adhered together by numerous methods. In a reusable alternative, corner folding panels easily join and separate for ease of use and reuse and to minimize the required space for container storage.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present system pertains to sealable storage, consumption and transport systems and particularly to systems for sealing and resealing of food products which, in conjunction, afford the user transportability, storage and usability for direct consumption from the system. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Concurrent Art 
         [0004]    Presently, food is transported or stored in sealed containers made of glass or plastic. Containers include Ziploc® bags and various shapes of bowl like containers such as Tupperware®. Leftover food is stored in sealed containers in a refrigerator. Adults and children bring food to school, the work place, on trips or the like in sealed containers. Often, containers are not returned to the owner as occurs when people bring food to someone else&#39;s house for a holiday. Children bring containers to school and do not like the responsibility to bring them home. 
         [0005]    Concurrent containers are difficult to store and the inherently differing sizes, various shapes and separate covering apparatuses render storing containers difficult, as many containers do not fit together, consequently, storage in kitchen cabinets, draws and pantries requires a lot of space. Ziploc® bags provide sealed storage of food however, it&#39;s collapsible nature make it difficult to store foods which contain liquid, and soft or gel like material such as mash potatoes or stew. Ziploc® bags do not provide or maintain a suitable shape to eat food directly from them. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The instant apparatus and system, as illustrated herein, is clearly not anticipated, rendered obvious, or even present in any of the prior art mechanisms, either alone or in any combination thereof. The versatile system, method and series of apparatuses for creating and utilizing a folded sealed container system are illustrated. Thus the several embodiments of the instant apparatus are illustrated herein. 
         [0007]    It is a primary object of the present multifunctional apparatus to reveal an easily storable, flat sheet containment mechanism which folds to become a sealed container for food storage and is further easily adaptable to the use of utensils. 
         [0008]    It would be further desirable to reveal a version of the instant apparatus and system which is inexpensive and disposable in order to meet with the current recycling nature of society. Said disposable container system would be useful for transportation of leftovers at restaurants, of food and other such materials to schools, of food to houses on holidays and the like. 
         [0009]    It would be further desirable to provide a container which is easily assembled and disassembled and provides a disposable or reusable sealed container which is easily stored when not in use. 
         [0010]    It is a primary object of the present to provide an originally flat container which when assembled affords the rigidity and strength for use as a dish to eat food directly from it or for transport and storage of food. The foldable sealed container is constructed in one piece (though in one option the cover may be separate), to minimize mixing up covers for different size and shape containers. 
         [0011]    The foregoing has outlined the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood, and the present contributions to the art may be more fully appreciated. It is of course not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components and/or methodologies, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations or permutations are possible. Accordingly, the novel architecture described below is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 
         [0012]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the versatile integrated foldable container system and series of accompanying systems and apparatuses and embodiments in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0013]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0014]    These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
         [0015]    To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be practice and all aspects and equivalents thereof are intended to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates a top plan view of the foldable sealed container with snap or tongue and groove, locking channel or gasket seal foldable corners in a flat configuration. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of the foldable sealed container in the operational or folded configuration with snap or Tongue and groove, locking channel seal, a gasket seal foldable corners 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates a top plan view of the foldable sealed container with a gasket corner and snap folding systems in a flat configuration. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a top plan view of a folding sealed container comprising a set of side walls and a set of folding panels with a gasket corner and snap folding, illustrating the folding panels in the unfolded position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4B  illustrates a top plan exploded view of a corner of the foldable sealed container with a gasket corner and snap folding of  FIG. 4A  in the unfolded position. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4C  illustrates a top plan view of the folding sealed container comprising a set of side walls and a set of folding panels with a gasket corner and snap folding of  FIG. 4A  in the folded position. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4D  illustrates a top plan exploded view of a corner of the foldable sealed container with a gasket corner and snap folding of  FIG. 4A  in the folded position wherein the corner of foldable sealed container has folding panel which consists of at least two panels which, when brought together, raise the side panels to interpose a seal between the side panels for a tight seal and wherein the folding panel is further folded to approximate side wall and engage snap as seen in corner of foldable sealed container. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  illustrates the flat open foldable sealed container corner with folding panel suction or adhesive retention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  illustrates the flat open foldable sealed container of this system further illustrating a sealable attached cover. 
           [0025]      FIGS. 7A-7B  illustrates the assembled flat foldable sealed container of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0026]      FIGS. 8A-8C , illustrates one embodiment of the instant apparatus including an open flat foldable container comprising a set of side panels, a bottom panel, and a set of foldable. 
           [0027]      FIG. 9A , illustrates one embodiment of the instant apparatus including an open flat foldable container comprising a set of attached side panels, a bottom panel  272 , and a set of foldable constructed to be one third the thickness of side panels which are thinned in the corners to be one third the thickness. 
           [0028]      FIG. 9B , illustrates the assembled foldable container of  FIG. 9A  and further illustrates the corner panels closed and fully folded to the inside of the container. 
           [0029]      FIG. 9C , illustrates a cutaway of assembled foldable container of  FIG. 9A  and further illustrates an outwardly disposed corner panel closed and fully folded against the outside of the container. 
           [0030]      FIG. 9D , illustrates a cutaway of assembled foldable container of  FIG. 9A  and further illustrates an inwardly disposed corner panel closed and fully folded against the inside of the container. 
           [0031]      FIG. 10A  illustrates a top plan view foldable container embodiment comprising a set of side panels, a bottom panel and a set of foldable corner panels in the unfolded position wherein the foldable corners consist of multiple panels and may comprise between two and ten panels. 
           [0032]      FIG. 10B  illustrates a top plan view of the foldable container embodiment of  FIG. 10  in the assembled position and further illustrating the side panels partly raised to a forty five degree angle to bottom panel. 
           [0033]      FIG. 11A  illustrates a top plan view of a foldable container embodiment in flat open position comprising a set of side panels a bottom panel and a set of folding corner panels wherein the side panels comprise a substantially trapezoid shape. 
           [0034]      FIG. 11B  illustrates a top plan view of the foldable container of  FIG. 11A  in the assembled position, wherein the instant embodiment may comprise between three side panels and twelve side panels. 
           [0035]      FIG. 12A  illustrates a top plan view a corner section of a foldable container in the open position, wherein the instant embodiment comprises a corner foldable panel a set of side panels and a bottom panel wherein the corner panel comprises at least two folding panels. 
           [0036]      FIG. 12B  illustrates an additional top plan view of the corner section of a foldable container of claim  12 A in the open position, wherein the instant embodiment wherein the corner folding panel comprises a snap projection which snaps through aperture in the folding panel, wherein the snap projection holds the two panels together during folding in order to facilitate folding. 
           [0037]      FIG. 12C  illustrates an additional top plan view of the corner section of a foldable container of claim  12 A and  12 B in the folded position. 
           [0038]      FIG. 13A  illustrates a top plan view of a foldable container embodiment in the open position comprising a set of side panels, a bottom panel, a set of intermediate panels and a set of folding panels wherein the use of the intermediate panels, which may vary in size and shape, facilitates production of a more bowl-like shape with non-ninety degree angles between panels. 
           [0039]      FIG. 13B  illustrates a side cross sectional view of the foldable container embodiment of  FIG. 13A  illustrating the container in the folded configuration and further illustrating the intermediate panels forming a more desirable corner between side panels and bottom panel for the use of silverware when eating. 
           [0040]      FIG. 14A  illustrates a top plan view of a foldable container embodiment in the open position comprising a side panel, a bottom panel, a set of corner folding panels and a retaining mechanism, which may comprise an elastic structure. 
           [0041]      FIG. 14B  illustrates a side exploded view of a left side panel and the bottom panel of the foldable container embodiment of  FIG. 14A  further illustrating joints which are designed to restrain the panels from folding beyond a flat configuration when pulled down by the retaining mechanism. 
           [0042]      FIG. 14C  illustrates an isometric view of the foldable container embodiment of  FIG. 14A  further illustrating the retaining mechanism in use. 
           [0043]      FIG. 14D  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the foldable container of  FIG. 14A  comprising a retaining mechanism, or a set of retaining mechanisms, physically attached at two or more points to pull or cinch the corner panels together. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0044]    The present system provides a container which stores as a flat sheet and folds to become a sealed container comprising rigidity qualities which lend to use as an eating dish and for food storage and transportation. A sheet of material is divided into panels which fold. The corners may be sealed with tongue and groove, locking channel, gasket or other like technology within the state of the art, in order to provide a snap lock seal with no adhesive components required. Additionally, adhesive components may be utilized and the container may be constructed of a uniform material with living hinges or constructed of multiple materials. 
         [0045]    A bottom panel is attached to side panels and corner folding panels. Optionally, one of the side panels is attached to a top panel. Corner panels come together to elevate the side panels to form a box. An optional upper, top or cover panel may be attached to a side panel to fold and snap onto the side panels forming a sealed cover. Folding corner panels bring together a tongue and groove, locking channel seal, a gasket seal or an adhesive seal between side panels sealing the container corners side panel to side panel and side panels to bottom panel. Finger pressure on folding panels and tongue and groove, locking channel seal, a gasket seal or snaps provides the force required for engagement. Alternatively, any technique which joins two parts together such as Velcro, laser welding, microwave, snaps, heat, adhesive, interlocking folding, etc. is used to secure panels together. 
         [0046]    In the preferred embodiment, panels are constructed of a uniform material such as a sheet of polypropylene and use a living hinge to rotate side panels into position. A living hinge is part of a uniform sheet thinned, stamped or even hot stamped, materially dependent, to allow bending along the line of thinned material. Alternatively, each panel is made of one material and joined together with a different material to provide the hinge movement. For example, the panels could be made of polypropylene and joined together with an adhesive celluloid tape or bonded material. Materials are elastic enough to allow flexing but stiff enough to allow panel folding and maintenance of general shape. 
         [0047]    Folding corner panels are relatively stiff to allow guiding side panels into position. Folding corner panels may be thin and soft and elastic, however, the preferred embodiment is relatively stiff corner panels. 
         [0048]    Panels may be of the same material or of different materials and may be of uniform thickness or variable thickness. The panels may be flat or provide curvature. The junction of the panels is straight or curved. Panels are shaped square, triangular, rectangular, oval, trapezoid or the like. The panels fold to the outside of the box or fold to the inside of the box. 
         [0049]    In an alternative embodiment, folding panels fold to the inside of the box and are further folded to the adjacent side panel. Folding panels are joined to a side panel by Velcro, laser welding, microwave, snaps, heat, adhesive, interlocking folding or any technique which will secure parts together, etc may be utilized. Folding panels alternatively are joined to each other first and then joined to a side panel. 
         [0050]    An alternative embodiment, container side walls are thinned at areas foldable corner panels join to. Corner panels are thinned to the same thickness as the thinned side panel area such that when fully folded all panel walls are of equal thickness. Thinned side panel area and each folding corner panel are one third of the side panel thickness. 
         [0051]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an open flat foldable container consists of side panels  4 ,  8 ,  10  and  12 , bottom panel  6 , and folding panels  20 ,  22 ,  24  and  26  with hinges between each. Folding panels consist of sub panel  34  and  36  which has tongue and groove, locking channel seal, a gasket seal component  30  and  32 . Top surface of panel  34  and  36  are forced together resulting in engagement of Tongue and groove, locking channel seal, a gasket seal  30  and  32  while simultaneously raising side panels to form a box. Thus, the user only needs to apply finger pressure to any of the tongue and groove, locking channel seal, a gasket seal  30  and  32 , or snap system the components to seal the corners tightly together and form an air tight seal. Tongue and groove, locking channel seal, a gasket seal components are separate or joined together at the base by a 45 degree angle. The angle will vary depending on the intended angle of side panels to the bottom panel. 
         [0052]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the same foldable container of  FIG. 1  in the closed position is shown. Foldable sealed container  40  has side panels  4 ,  8 ,  10  and  12  held together and sealed by tongue and groove, locking channel seal, a gasket seal components  30  and  32  of folding panels  20 ,  22 ,  24  and  26 . Folding panels  24  is optionally further secured by optional snap  33 . Foldable sealed container  40  is disassembled by forcing tongue and groove, locking channel seal, a gasket seal  30  and  32  apart to lay flat for storage. 
         [0053]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , an alternative folding sealed container  46  is shown in the open flat position. Container  46  consists of bottom panel  54 , side panels  50 ,  52 ,  56 , and  58 , and folding panels  60 ,  62 ,  64  and  66 . The typical folding panel consists of panels  78  and  80 . At the junction of folding panels and side panels are gaskets or seals, in combination as hinge mechanisms  72  which when panel  78  is brought to approximate panel  80  by folding on hinge  76 ,  70  and hinge/seal  72 , fit between adjacent side walls to provide a water tight seal. When panel  78  is brought to approximate panel  80 , side walls are elevated to form a box. After folding panels  60 ,  62 ,  64  and  66  are folded along hinge  76  to form assembled container  46 , the folding panels are then further folded to approximate the adjacent side wall  50  and  56  such that snap  82  engages snap  84  to lock the assembled panels positions. 
         [0054]    Referring to  FIG. 4A-4D , an assembled foldable sealed container is viewed from the top. Folding sealed container  90  has side walls  92 ,  93 ,  96 , and  98  and folded folding panels  100 ,  102 ,  104  and  106 . After being assembled, folding panels  100 ,  102 ,  104 , and  106  fold onto side walls  92  and  96  and then snap to provide a secure foldable sealed container  110 . Snap construction may be reversed with the snap being in or out. 
         [0055]    Corner  120  of foldable sealed container  90  has folding panel  128  which consists of panel  122  and  123  which when brought together raise side panels  92  and  93  to interpose seal  124  between panels  92  and  93  for a tight seal. Folding panel  128  is further folded to approximate side wall  92  and engage snap  126  as seen in corner  130  of foldable sealed container  110 . 
         [0056]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the corner of a disassembled flat foldable sealed container  140  is shown which consists of bottom panel  159  and side panels  156  and  158 . Folding panels  144  and  142  hinge on line  146 ,  148  and  150  such that sealing areas  152  and  154  approximate. Air is squeezed out and a vacuum created to hold folding panel  142  in close approximation to folding panel  144  until the vacuum is released. Vacuum sealing areas  152  and  154  may be placed on just one panel or both, are made of a material with characteristics to hold a vacuum and may include a material with an adhesive nature. 
         [0057]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a disassembled flat foldable sealed container  180  has side panels  182 ,  184 ,  186  and  187  and foldable panels  188 ,  189 ,  190  and  192 . In one embodiment, the side panels  182 ,  184  and  186  may comprise a sealing mechanism  194 ,  196  and  198  which may be a tongue and groove, locking channel seal, a gasket seal like design or other snap design to seal cover  200  to side panels when closed. Attached cover  200  folds on hinge  194  which is attached to side wall  187  to form a completely sealed container when foldable panels  188 ,  189 ,  190  and  192  fold on to side walls  182 ,  184 ,  186  and  187  to form a sealed container such that cover  200  end  206  snaps or tongue and groove, locking channel seal, a gasket seal s onto  196  of side panel  184 . Seal component  202  and  204  surround three sides of cover  200  to engage the seal component  194 ,  196  and  198  on the top of the side walls. Cover  200  is left open or folded over side panel  187  when stored and not in use. 
         [0058]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , an assembled foldable sealed container  210  of  FIG. 6  is shown. Cover  200  is sealed to the assembled side panels. Cross section  212  at area delineated by line  214  shows seal  204  and  202  which is attached to cover  200  snapping onto seal  194  which is attached to wall  186 . The seal design is a tongue and groove, locking channel seal, a gasket seal or snap like design. 
         [0059]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , an open flat foldable container  220  consists of side panels  222 ,  224 ,  226  and  228 , bottom panel  219 , and foldable panels  230 ,  232 ,  234  and  236 . Foldable panel  232  consist of sides  240  and  242 . Side  240  has snap  238  attached which when folded snaps onto top wall section  244  of side panel  224 . Foldable panels  222 ,  224 ,  226  and  228  may be raised to an assembled position as foldable panels  230 ,  232 ,  234  and  236  are folded together either inside or outside of the container  220 . After folded together, the foldable panels are further folded to snap onto the side wall panels. 
         [0060]    A horizontal cross section at the top snap of an assembled container  220  is shown by section  246  and a vertical cross section at line  248  is shown by section  250 . Section  246  shows side panel  222 , foldable corner panels  240  and  242 , snap components  244  and  238 . When foldable corner panel  232  is folded against side wall  224 , the snap component  238  is raised over the snap component  244  to hold the container in the assembled position. 
         [0061]    Referring to  FIG. 9A-9D , an open flat foldable container  252  consists of attached side panels  254 ,  256 ,  258  and  260 , bottom panel  272 , and foldable corner panels  254 ,  256 ,  258  and  260 . Foldable corner panels  254 ,  256 ,  258  and  260  are constructed to be one third the thickness of side panels  254 ,  256 ,  258  and  260  which are thinned in the corners to be one third the thickness. When the three are folded together, they appear to be a uniform thickness. Corner panels may be folded to the inside or the outside to bring side panels together. 
         [0062]    Assembled foldable container  274  and  276  show the corner panels closed and fully folded to the inside of the container. Corner panels  262 ,  264 ,  268  and  270  fold together raising foldable side panels  254 ,  256 ,  258  and  260  and are then further folded against and joined to the side panels. Cross section views  274  and  278  show corner panel  264  folded onto side panel  254  on the inside and outside resulting in a uniform thickness throughout the container. 
         [0063]    Referring to  FIG. 10  A- 10  B foldable container  280  consists of side panels  282 ,  284 ,  286  and  288 , bottom panel  281 , and corner panels  290 ,  292 ,  294  and  296 . Foldable corners consist of multiple panels with as few as two but as many as ten. Foldable corner  292  consists of panels  298 ,  300  and  302 . Panels  298  and  300  fold together and further fold to side panel  282  raising side panels  282  and  284  against the edge of panel  302  such that side panels are at an angle of greater than ninety degrees to base panel  281 . Assembled foldable container  304  shows side panels partly raised to a forty five degree angle to bottom panel  281  as a result foldable corner panels folding as shown with panels  298  and  300  being folded against the outside of side panel  282  while panel  302  remains contiguous with the inner portion of the container. 
         [0064]    Referring to  FIG. 11A-11B  an open foldable container  305  consists of side panels  306 ,  308 ,  310  and  312 , bottom panel  314 , and corner folding panels  316 ,  318 ,  320  and  322 . Side panels  306 ,  308 ,  310  and  312  are trapezoid shape such that when folding panels  316 ,  318 ,  320  and  322  are folded and side panes  316 ,  318 ,  320  and  322  fold into an assemble foldable container  324 , they are a greater than ninety degree angle to the bottom panel  314 . Side panels may comprise a multitude of shapes including triangular, round, rectangular, oval, polygon, etc. Folding corner panels may include two or more panels. All panels may consist of, but are not limited to concave, convex, flat or combinations of these surfaces. In addition, there may be as few as three side panels or as many as twelve. 
         [0065]    Referring to  FIG. 12A-12C , a corner of an open foldable container  326  consists of corner foldable panel  328 , side panels  340  and  338 , and bottom panel  341 . Corner panel  328  consists of folding panel  330  and  332 . Corner folding panel  330  has snap projection  334  which snaps through aperture  336  of folding panel  332  which holds the two panels together during folding to make folding easier. Foldable corner panel  328  is further folded against side wall  340  such that snap projection  334  of folding corner panel  330  snaps through aperture or engaging indentation  342  to hold the folding corner panels  330  and  332  securely to side panel  340 . The use of a snap projection going through aperture on an adjacent folding panel is that each corner is easily secured into position prior to folding the foldable panels to the side panels. It is more difficult to fold and snap to a side wall. In addition, if snap projection  334  disengages from snap aperture  342 , the container does not collapse as snap projection  334  is secure to snap aperture  336 . 
         [0066]    Referring to  FIG. 13A-13B , open foldable container  350  consists of side panels  352 ,  354 ,  356 , and  358 , bottom panel  376 , intermediate panels  368 ,  370 ,  372 , and  374 , folding panels  360 ,  362 ,  364  and  366 . Panels vary in size and shape to produce a more bowl shape with non-ninety degree angles between panels. A cross section  378  of assembled container  350  shows intermediate panels  368  and  374  forming a more desirable corner between side panels  358  and  354  to bottom panel  376  for use of silverware when eating. 
         [0067]    Referring to  FIG. 14A-14D , an open foldable container  382  has side panels  396 ,  398 ,  400 , and  402 , bottom panel  412 , corner folding panels  404 ,  406 ,  408 , and  410 , and elastic  394 . As herein, depicted, elastic  394  is on the outside of container  382 , which is the bottom of the open state, but may also be placed on the inside of the container. Cross section  384  of side panel  402  and  398  and bottom panel  412  comprises joints  414  and  416  which are designed to resist panels folding beyond a flat configuration when pulled down by elastic  394 . When force is applied to raise side panels the elastic folds corner folding panels and raises side panels to form a container as seen in view  386 . 
         [0068]    In an alternative embodiment, a foldable container  380  possesses a flexible retaining mechanism  390 , which may comprise connection points. The flexible retaining mechanism  390 , which may be comprised of an elastic, torsion mechanism or other such mechanism as known in the art, which acts to cinch or pull together corner panels  388  and side panel  392  to form an assembled container. The flexible retaining mechanism  390  may be permanently attached, or removably attached, at each or any of the corners of the container as an alternative to a continuously disposed elastic mechanism  396 .