Closure apparatus suitable for eating utensils and methods of making and using same

A closure apparatus that has a base having an interior surface, a lid having an interior surface, and a plurality of compartments within the apparatus. The lid is rotatably connected to the base, and a first compartment of the plurality of compartments has a wall secured to the interior surface of the lid and a wall of a second component is secured to the face such that, upon rotation of the lid, at least some of the compartments rise open from a relatively compressed state. The compartments removably straw an eating utensil which are easily displayed in and removed from their respective compartments.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a completion application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/676,657, filed Jul. 27, 2012, the entire disclosure of which, including the drawing, is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to storage devices, such as gift boxes and secure-hold shipping boxes and more particularly to closure apparatus in which eating utensils may be stored in such a manner as to prevent contamination and/or to dynamically display in an attractive manner, as well as methods for making and using such closure apparatus.

2. Prior Art

Various types of cutlery holding devices are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,220,559 entitled “Holder for Tableware” issued to Riebe on Mar. 27, 1917, a soft fabric holder for tableware of a type from which tableware utensils are inserted or withdrawn is described. The holder described in the '559 patent can be constructed of a suitable soft material and has a number of compartments adapted to receive an article of tableware. However, the disclosed tableware holder has side walls into which the utensils must be placed and from which they must be removed, which may not be regarded as convenient to manufacture today or into which to insert an item of tableware. Furthermore, the space on top of the disclosed tableware holder for insertion and removal of utensils is limited and less convenient than may be desired in a modern holder.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,729,258 entitled “Silver Flat-Ware Case” issued Jan. 3, 1956 to Pentland et al. describes a silver flatware case for use in the home wherein multiple place-settings may be conveniently stored and retained when not in use. The apparatus described in the '258 patent is a flexible multi-compartmented or multi-partitioned expansible and collapsible case having partitions of gradually varying height. The case will stand up on its base with the partitions in a vertical position. However, the disclosed case does not scale well to single person place settings, and it may be considered inconvenient at a meal to stand the case upright on its base to remove the utensils from the case at a meal.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,213 entitled “Silverware Holder” issued Oct. 28, 1975 to Graham, Jr., discloses what appears to be a silverware holder having rigid compartments. The size, rigidity and weight of such an apparatus may also make such a holder inconvenient for use to enclose a place setting at a table.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,661 entitled “Cutlery Tray with Roll-Top Enclosure” issued Nov. 6, 2007 to DeFino discloses a cutlery receptacle that includes a housing having a roll-top cover movable between an open and a closed position with mating members of a locking mechanism incorporated respectively in the housing and cover. Although this type of enclosure might, in principle, provide a convenient holder for a place setting at a table, its construction is rather complex and the apparatus itself may be so expensive as not to be considered disposable.

It would thus be desirable to provide a closure or a box that can be used as a holder for a place setting at a table, and yet is attractive and simple to make while being inexpensive enough to be considered disposable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provides a closure apparatus including a base having an interior surface, and a lid having an interior surface. A plurality of compartments are provided within the apparatus. The lid is rotatably connected to the base. A first compartment of the plurality of interconnected compartments has a wall secured to the interior surface of the lid. Similarly, a wall of a second or last compartment is secured to the base of the closure to complete securement of the compartments to the apparatus such that, upon rotation of the lid, at least some of the compartments open from a relatively compressed state.

The bottoms of each of the sidewalls defining each compartment are bonded together, as at27, to define a V-shaped floor.

Because of the configuration of the device, as it is opened, any utensils within the compartment will be shifted toward their respective back walls due to gravity. Further, opening of the compartment will cause the utensils within the compartment to shift to the center of the compartment where it is stabilized in place due to the V-shape of the floor.

In another aspect of the present invention a method for displaying eating utensils to a person includes placing an eating utensil in a compartment in the closure apparatus described above. By virtue of the construction each compartment levels, aligns and centers the utensil for maximum display uniformity.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing. In the drawing like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views in which:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In accordance herewith and with reference to the drawing, a closure apparatus10includes a base12having an interior surface17and a lid14having an interior surface16. The lid and base each have internally disposed planar cellulosic elements11,13, respectively, secured thereto. These elements each define securement surfaces for adhering a pleat of the first and last compartments thereto, as described below.

The lid14is rotatably connected to the base12, such as by a hinge18. The hinge18may comprise a piece of flexible adhesive paper or tape adhered to the outside of both base12and to lid14where they meet; a conventional rod and bracket interconnecting the base and lid, or the like.

The apparatus10further includes a plurality of compartments22, each comprising opposed first and second sidewalls22aand22b. Each sidewall is pleated as at22cto define accordion-style compartments within closure apparatus10. One of pleated compartments22includes a wall24that is secured to the interior surface16of lid14such that, upon rotation of lid14, at least some pleated compartments22open from a relatively compressed state. The opposed compartment22′ is similarly secured to the interior19of the base12, such that upon rotation of lid14, at least some pleated compartments22open from a relatively compressed state.

More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment, pleated compartments22are compressed in a first direction when the lid14is closed, fan open as lid14is opened, and eventually can become compressed in a second, perpendicular direction as lid14is more fully opened. It is not required that the compression of pleated compartments22be complete or extremely tight in either direction. However, as pleated compartments22open and become compressed in the second perpendicular direction, the content of the compartment, such as eating utensils28, stored in the pleated compartments22may rotate.

The bottoms or bottom edge of each of the sidewalls defining each compartment are bonded together, as at27, to define a V-shaped floor.

Because of the configuration of the device, as it is opened, any utensils within the compartment will be shifted toward their respective back walls due to gravity. Further, depending on their size opening of the compartment may cause the utensils within the compartment to shift to the center of the compartment where it is stabilized in place due to the V-shape of the floor.

The closure apparatus10preferably comprises a cellulose material such as cardboard and paper.

In another aspect, some embodiments of the present invention include a method for providing eating utensils28to a person. The method includes placing at least one eating utensil28in at least one pleated compartment22in a closure apparatus10having a base12and an inclined interior surface19and a lid14that, itself, has an interior surface16. Lid14is rotatably connected to base12, and closure apparatus10further comprises a plurality of operatively connected pleats20enclosing pleated compartments22within closure apparatus10. A first pleated compartments22has a pleat secured to the interior element11of lid14such that, upon rotation of lid14, at least some pleated compartments22open from a relatively compressed state so that an eating utensil appears to rise in its pleated compartment when lid14is rotated. Similarly, the last of the compartments has a pleat secured to element13, as shown.

In yet another aspect hereof, a method for making a closure apparatus10includes affixing a pleat of a plurality of pleated compartments to lid11of the closure apparatus10. The method further includes affixing a second pleat of the back of plurality pleated compartments to an element13of the base12of the closure apparatus10. The base and lid are hingedly interconnected by any suitable means such that upon rotation of lid14, at least some pleated compartments22open from a relatively compressed state.

In manufacturing the present closure the forces are equally distributed through the lid, base and walls of each compartment such that the device has a “unibody” construction. This eliminates bloating, sagging or disfiguration of a single loaded or unloaded compartment provided that heavy-weight, spring-like stiff paper is used, since this causes the forces to be equally divided among all compartments equally along the center line. Since the compartments have angled floors they level, align and center the tableware laterally for maximized display. Gravity is used dynamically for front to back alignment on all compartments during opening so no product can be out of place longitudinally.

The present device or apparatus enables easy access of each product via total visual identification and easy one-hand removal.

The positive clamping enclosure enables the apparatus to protect product and to enable the apparatus to function as a shipping container and display, also.

It will thus be appreciated that various embodiments of the present invention provide a closure or a box that can be used as a holder or as a display being both attractive and simple to make while being inexpensive enough to be considered disposable.