Container assemblies having collapsible and erectable containers containing a packaging material and methods of production and use thereof

A container assembly is provided which includes a container selectively moveable between an erect condition and a collapsed or substantially flattened condition. A packaging material for support objects is disposed within an object receiving space of the container and secured thereto so that the packaging material remains in the object receiving space of the container when the container is in either the erect condition or the collapsed or substantially flattened condition.

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) relates generally to a container assembly, and more particularly to a container assembly which includes containers selectively movable between a collapsed condition and/or erect condition wherein the containers contain a packaging material. In one aspect, the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) relates to a container assembly having collapsible and/or erectable containers containing a packaging material formed of a plurality of individual strips, strands or units of material which are bondingly connected to a flexible substrate to form a cohesive cushioning unit. In yet another aspect, the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) relates to a container assembly having a collapsible and/or erectable floral container and a flexible, inflatable substrate having a plurality of individual strips, strands or units of decorative material bondingly connected to the flexible inflatable substrate to form a cohesive cushioning unit.

2. Brief Description of Related Art

In the process of shipping an article from one location to another, the article may be placed in a container along with a protective packaging material to fill voids about the article and to cushion the article during the shipping process. One such common protective packaging material includes a plurality of polymeric foam peanut-shaped members which are commonly known in the art as “Styrofoam Peanuts.” An advantage of using the Styrofoam Peanuts is the ease in which they may be disposed about an article positioned in a container by simply pouring the Styrofoam Peanuts into the container.

While Styrofoam Peanuts have been widely accepted in the packaging industry, they are not without disadvantages. For example, the light weight and flowability of the Styrofoam Peanuts result in heavier articles gravitating through the Styrofoam Peanuts to the bottom of the container during shipping, and the receiver of the package is left with the problem of disposing of the Styrofoam Peanuts once the package has arrived at its destination and the article removed there from.

Strips of sheet material formed into tufts have also been used for many years as a packaging material. More specifically, material known as decorative grass has been used in fruit baskets, Easter baskets, picnic baskets, and for other packaging and decorative purposes.

Flowers and other plants have long been grown and displayed in pots, commonly referred to as “flower pots.” Flower pots are generally constructed of natural, earthen materials, such as clay which is in turn glazed and fired to produce a hardened non-flexible ceramic structure. Flower pots have also been constructed of plastic materials which are colored or painted to have the appearance of an earthen material. While clay or ceramic flower pots are both aesthetically pleasing and effectively serve the purpose of containing plant material in a growing medium, inefficiencies are nevertheless experienced in shipping and storing such containers due to their bulkiness and susceptibility to breakage.

To this end, a need exists for a container assembly that can be shipped and stored in a substantially flattened or collapsed condition and readily erected into a container that can protect fragile items, such as figurines, ceramic objects and the like during shipping and/or storage. It is to such containers and flexible packaging materials that the present invention is directed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIVE CONCEPT(S)

The presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) relates to a container assembly which includes a collapsible and/or erectable, shape-sustaining container and a packaging material disposed in the container for supporting articles. In one aspect, the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) relates to a container assembly wherein a packaging material for supporting floral groupings, eggs and other fragile articles is disposed in a connection to the collapsible and/or erectable container.

It is to be understood that while the terms “collapsible” or “erectable” may be used herein with respect to a particular embodiment of a shape sustaining container, one of ordinary skill in the art would easily understand and could easily adapt the containers described herein to be “collapsible,” “erectable,” or both, and therefore such terms should be understood as being used interchangeably herein. As such, collapsible shape sustaining containers, erectable shape sustaining containers, and collapsible and erectable shape sustaining containers are all fully within the scope of the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s), and the use of the term “collapsible” should be understood to also include containers that are “erectable,” while use of the term “erectable” should also be understood to include containers that are “collapsible.”

Referring now toFIG. 1, shown therein is a container assembly10constructed in accordance with the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s). The container assembly10includes a collapsible and/or erectable container11which is disposed in an erect condition. The container11includes an open upper end12, a closed lower end or bottom14, an inner surface16, an outer surface18, and an object receiving space20. A packaging material23is disposed within the object receiving space20of the container11for cushioning objects supported in the object receiving space20of the container11. At least a portion of the packaging material23is connected to at least one of the inner surface16and the closed lower end14of the container11so that the packaging material23remains substantially within the object receiving space20of the container11where the container11is moved to the collapsed condition (FIG. 2). As will be more fully described herein after, the packaging material23can be a tuft of material, a flexible, inflatable substrate assembly, a flexible substrate assembly or combinations thereof.

To enhance the movement of the container10between the erect condition (FIG. 1) and the collapsed or flattened condition (FIG. 2), the container11may be provided with a gusset22in the closed lower end14thereof. The above embodiment of the collapsible and/or erectable container10, as well as other embodiments of such containers, is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/103,405 filed Mar. 11, 2005, the entire contents of such application being hereby specifically incorporated herein by reference.

Referring now toFIG. 3, shown therein is one strip or strand of material24employed to form a tuft26of material disposed within the object receiving space20of the container11(FIGS. 1 and 2). The tuft of the material26, which is made up of a plurality of individual strips or strands24and which may be intertwined with one another, can be supported within the object receiving space20of the container11for cushioning objects disposed within the object receiving space20of the container10as will be described in more detail herein after. The tuft of material26can be connected to at least a portion of the inner surface16of the container11so that the tuft of material26extends from the closed lower end14of the container10toward the open upper end12thereof; or the tuft of material26can be connected to a flexible, inflatable substrate assembly28(FIG. 5) supported within the object receiving space20of the container11so as to be disposed substantially adjacent the closed lower end14of the container11(FIGS. 6 and 7) as will be described in more detail herein after; or the tuft of material26can be connected to a flexible substrate28asupported within the object receiving space20of the container11so as to be disposed substantially adjacent the closed lower end14of the container11(FIGS. 8 and 9). Thus, the tuft of material26, in addition to being bonded to the flexible, inflatable substrate assembly28, may be bonded to the flexible substrate28a(FIGS. 8 and 9), and the tuft of material26may also be bonded to at least a portion of the inner surface16of the container11which surrounds the object receiving space20of the container11.

Referring again toFIGS. 1 and 2, the packaging material23is illustrated as the tuft of material26and the tuft of material26is illustrated as being disposed within at least a portion of the object receiving space20of the container11and secured therein by bonding at least a portion of the tuft of material26to at least a portion of the closed lower end14and/or the inner surface16of the container11. If desired, the strips or strands of material24which constitutes the tuft of material26can be intertwined and bonded together by applying a bonding material to at least a portion of the individual strips or strands of material24and/or at least a portion of the closed lower end14of the container10and/or the inner surface16of the container11.

InFIG. 1the container11is depicted in an erect condition and the tuft of material26fills a substantial portion of the object receiving space20of the container11. As previously discussed, the tuft of material26is bondingly connected to at least a portion of the closed lower end14and/or the inner surface16of the container11so that when the container11is moved to a collapsed condition as shown inFIG. 2, the tuft of material26is compressed and remains in the object receiving space20of the collapsed container11.

The individual strips or strands of material24utilized to produce the tuft of material26can be fabricated from any flexible material including, but not limited to, paper, crape paper, polymeric film, wax paper, laminates and combinations thereof. For example, at least one clear layer of polymeric material can be laminated to at least one iridescent layer of polymeric film so as to provide an iridescent effect to the laminated polymeric film, and thus the individual strips or strands of material24produced from the sheet of laminated material. In addition, the flexible material from which the individual strips or strands of material24are fabricated may have printed material and/or one or more embossed patterns on at least a portion of at least one side thereof, and the one or more embossed patterns may be in register or out of register with the printed material and/or each other.

The plurality of individual strips or strands of material24may also be fabricated from organic or inorganic materials, including leaves, tree bark, branches, dirt, sand, sea shells, Spanish moss or any other type of organic or inorganic material that is capable of forming the tuft of material26and/or capable of being bondingly connected to at least one of the closed lower end14and/or the inner surface16of the container11and/or the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28or the flexible substrate28asupportable on the closed lower end14of the container11such that the tuft of material26is disposed in the object receiving space20of the container10and thereby provides a decorative and/or cushioning effect for objects supported within the object receiving space20of the container11. Furthermore, when the strips or strands of material24are fabricated from a flexible material, additional inorganic and/or organic materials may be attached onto or be incorporated into the strips or strands of material24prior to or after forming the tuft of material26from the strips or strands of material24.

As previous stated, at least a portion of at least one side of the strips or strands of the material24can be provided with printed material thereon. The printed material on the flexible material from which the individual strips or strands of material24are fabricated can be printed in a conventional manner so that when the flexible material is slit and cut to produce the strips or strands of material24at least a portion of the strips or strands of material24contain at least a portion of the printed material. Further, different colors can be employed to provide the printed material on the sheet of material from which the plurality of individual strips or strands of material24are fabricated.

Also, the flexible material employed to produce the strips or strands of material24may include one or more embossed patterns which are provided on the flexible material prior to slitting and cutting the sheet of material to provide the strips or strands of material24. Further, the flexible material can be provided with an embossed pattern as well as a printed pattern, and the embossed pattern may be either in register or out of register with the printed material, which may be in the form of writing, a design, or any other style of printing depicting any message that the user desires.

The individual strips or strands of material24, as described above, are commonly referred to as “Easter grass” or “decorative grass” and such have been used for many years in filling fruit baskets, Easter baskets, picnic baskets, and for other decorative and packaging purposes. The decorative grass of the prior art has been produced by numerous methods and from a variety of materials, such as those listed above. Typically, such materials are shredded and cut to produce segmented strips having predetermined dimensions. While the prior art methods for making the decorative grass have been widely accepted, new techniques for facilitating the use of decorative grass as a packaging material have been sought in view of the fact that decorative grass and other loose shredded packaging material of the prior art readily fall onto the floor, cling to various objects making them awkward and inconvenient to clean up, and often compact and thereby no longer adequately cushion and/or protect items placed thereon.

By forming the strips or strands of material24into the tuft of material26(which is composed of a plurality of the strips or strands of material24) and connecting the tuft of material26to the closed lower end14and/or the interior surface16of the container11as herein before described with referenceFIGS. 1 and 2, or by connecting the tuft of material26to the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28or the flexible substrate28aas will be described in more detail herein after, clean up problems associated with loose fill materials are alleviated and the container11containing the tuft of material26can be selectively moved between the erect condition as shown inFIG. 1and the collapsed condition as shown inFIG. 2without the strips or strands of material24forming the tuft of material26falling from the object receiving space20of the container11.

Referring now toFIG. 5, shown therein is a packaging material which includes the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28having the tuft of material26formed of a plurality of individual strips or strands of material24bondingly connected thereto. As can be appreciated, by connecting the tuft of material26to the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28, not only is the problem associated with the clean-up of loose fill material alleviated, but since the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28is capable of being inflated, the compacting problems associated with loose fill material are also alleviated and lesser amounts of fill material are required. The flexible inflatable substrate assembly28can also be caused to adhere or cohere to an object and/or the container11in which it is placed thereby resulting in an attached packaging effect. That is, with loose fill packaging material the object being packed has a tendency to gravitate through the packaging material to the bottom of the container thereby reducing the effectiveness of the packaging material. By using the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28disclosed herein, the cohesiveness of the tuft of material26and the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28retard the object supported thereon from gravitating through the container11towards the closed lower end14of the container11.

The flexible inflatable substrate assembly28for use in the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) is fabricated of a first sheet of material30and second of material32. It will be appreciated that the dimensions of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28may be varied and the shape of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28may also, therefore, be varied—e.g., a circle, square, triangle, heart, and animal shape, a floral shape, etc.

The flexible inflatable substrate assembly28which can be employed as a packaging material in accordance with the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) can be fabricated of any flexible material capable of retaining a fluid, such as air, in an inflatable chamber34formed by the union of the first and second sheets of the material30and32, respectively. Examples of materials capable of being employed to form the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28include, but are not limited to, polymeric materials, laminated polymeric materials, fabrics having a fluid impervious coating, foil and alike.

The flexible inflatable substrate assembly28which can be employed as a packaging material in accordance with the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) may also have printed material37(FIG. 7) and/or one or more embossed patterns38on at least a portion of at least one of first sheet of material30and the second sheet of material32, and the one or more embossed patterns38can be in register or out of register, or partially in register and partially out of register with the printed material36. In addition, different colors can be employed to provide the printed material or pattern on at least one of the first or second sheets of material30and/or and32, such as the first sheet of material30, so that when the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28is positioned within the object receiving space20of the container11substantially adjacent the closed lower end14thereof, the printed and/or embossed patterns are visible.

It should be noted the printed material37may be a pictorial representation with the color or shape of the tuft of material26formed of a plurality of the strips or strands of material24so that when a small amount of the plurality of individual strips or strands24are employed to form the tuft of material26, and the tuft of material26is bondingly connected to the first sheet of the material30of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28, the printed material fills in the voids between the plurality of individual strips or strands of materials24such that it appears that there are few or no actual voids in the tuft of material26formed from the plurality of strips or strands of material24thereby resulting in an aesthetically pleasing flexible inflatable substrate assembly28. Alternatively, at least one surface of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28, such as an upper surface36of the first sheet of the material30, can be printed so as to give the appearance of the presence of the tuft of material26without the tuft of material26being formed from a plurality of strips or strands of material24.

The first sheet of material30and the second sheet of material32of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28may be constructed of a single layer of material or a plurality of layers of the same or different types of material. In addition, the thickness of the first sheet of material30and the second sheet of material32of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28may vary widely, the only requirement being that the first and second sheets of material30and32, respectively, have sufficient structural integrity to support objects placed thereon without the weight of the objects causing damage to the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28.

The first sheet of material30is bonded via a bonding material (not shown) to the second sheet of material32so as to provide the inflatable chamber34of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28. The flexible inflatable substrate assembly28is further provided with a valve39which is in fluid communication with the inflatable chamber34and thus provides a conventional method of injecting a gas, such as air, into the inflatable chamber34of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28so as to inflate the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28.

Any type of valve capable of introducing a gas, such as air, into the inflatable chamber34of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28can be employed as the valve39in the practice of the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s), provided that the valve closes off the inflatable chamber34once the inflatable chamber34has been inflated. Such valves are well known in the art. Thus, any conventional valve capable of performing the functions described above can be employed as the valve39of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28.

In place of the valve39, one may inflate the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28utilizing an exothermic reaction which produces a gas capable of filling at least a portion of the inflatable chamber34of the flexible inflatable assembly28. In order to provide an exothermic reaction, the inflatable chamber34of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28may be provided with at least two chambers where at least one chamber contains a weak basic composition and at least one chamber contains a weak acid composition such that, upon breaking open the at least one chamber containing the weak acid composition and the at least one chamber containing the weak basic composition, a reaction occurs which forms a gaseous reaction product that substantially fills the inflatable chamber34of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28. The weak basic composition may include a Group I or a Group II element and examples of such weak basic compositions include sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate, and combinations thereof. The weak acid composition may be vinegar. Although certain compositions have been disclosed as being capable of producing an exothermic reaction, any combination of composition that, when placed in reactive contact with one another, produces a gaseous reaction product that fills the inflatable chamber34of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28can be employed provided that the compositions are not deleterious to the first and second sheets of material30and32from which the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28is constructed.

Although the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28is shown inFIG. 5as having a circular configuration, is to be understood that the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28can be of any shape and the particular shape will be depended on the configuration of the closed lower end14of the container11. For example, if the closed lower end14of the container11has a square configuration, the configuration of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28will desirably also be square. On the other hand, if the closed lower end14of the container11has a rectangular configuration then the configuration of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28will desirably also be rectangular.

To secure the tuft of material26to an exterior surface of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28, such as the upper surface36of the first sheet of material30, at least a portion of the upper surface36of the first sheet of material30of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28is coated with a bonding material, such as an adhesive or cohesive bonding material, whereby the tuft of material26is bonded to the upper surface of the first sheet of material30of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28substantially as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6. As previously stated, the tuft of material26is formed of a plurality of strips or strands of material24which are intertwined and desirably bonded together. The strips or strands of material24employed in the formation of the tuft of material26are well known and can be produced by slitting a web of material and thereafter cutting the slit web of material to provide strips or strands of material having desired dimensions. The bonding material can be applied to the strips or strands of material24either prior to cutting the slit web of material to produce the strips or strands of material34or after such strips or strands of material24had been produced. As an alternative to forming the individual strips or strands of material24as described herein before, it will be appreciated that the individual strips or strands of material24may be formed from a polymeric film discharged from a film extrusion die which is then chilled prior to the slitting process. Such a method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,266, entitled “Process For Making Decorative Grass”, issued to Weder et al. on Sep. 29, 1981, the entire contents of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

Referring now toFIG. 6in combination withFIG. 5, the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28shown inFIG. 5is positioned adjacent the closed lower end14of the container11substantially as shown inFIG. 6. Thereafter, additional quantities of the tuft of material26formed from the strips or strands of material24are positioned on the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28. By intertwining the strips or strands of material24during the formation of the tuft of material26, in combination with the adhering of the tuft of material26to an exterior surface, such as the upper surface36of the first sheet of material30of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28, the additional tuft of material26is secured and stabilized within the object receiving space20of the container11. If desired, and to further enhance stabilization of the tuft of material26within the object receiving space20of the container11, at least a portion of the inner surface16of the container11can be coated with a suitable bonding of material such that the tuft of material26is bondingly connected, not only to the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28, but also to the inner surface16of the container10. As previously stated, each of the individual strips or strands of material24can also be coated with a bonding material to enhance cohesion of the strips or strands of material24during formation of the tuft of material26.

Referring now toFIG. 7, the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28is provided with a printed pattern39representing a plurality strips or strands of material on at least one surface thereof, such as the upper surface36of the first sheet of material30of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28. Desirably, the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28is bondingly connected to the closed lower end14of the container11to ensure its stability therein. However, it should be understood that the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28can be disposed within the object receiving space20of the container11so as to be disposed adjacent the closed lower end14of the container11and supported therein without the use of any bonding material.

The above embodiments of the flexible inflatable substrate assembly28, as well as other embodiments of flexible inflatable substrate assemblies which may be employed in the practice of the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) are disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/063,024 entitled Flexible Packaging Materials And Methods Of Making A Using Same, filed Feb. 22, 2005, the entire contents of such application being hereby specifically incorporated herein by reference.

Referring now toFIG. 8, shown therein is a flexible substrate28adisposed within the container11such that the flexible substrate28ais positioned substantially adjacent the closed lower end14of the container11substantially as shown. The flexible substrate28amay be provided with a printed pattern42on an upper surface44thereof which may be a pictorial representation of a tuft of material formed of a plurality of strips or strands of material such as the tuft of material26formed of a plurality of the strips or strands of material24herein before described. If desired, in addition to the printed pattern42, a tuft of material26amay be bondingly connected to the upper surface44of the flexible substrate28awhereby the printed pattern42fills the voids between the plurality of individual strips or strands of material24aemployed to form the tuft of material26asuch that it appears that there are few or no actual voids in the tuft of material26athereby resulting in an aesthetically pleasing flexible substrate28a(FIG. 9). It should be noted that the flexible substrate28acan be employed in the practice of the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) where only the upper surface42of the flexible substrate28ais provided with the printed pattern44to give the appearance of a tuft of material without the tuft of material being present (FIG. 7); or the tuft of material26can be bondingly connected to the upper surface42of the flexible substrate28aas hereinbefore described.

Referring now toFIG. 9, the flexible substrate28ais shown as having a tuft of material26abondingly connected thereto wherein the tuft of material26ais formed of a plurality of individual strips or strands of material similar to the strips or strands of material24herein before described. As can be appreciated, by connecting the tuft of material26ato the flexible substrate28a, not only is the problem associated with the clean-up of loose fill material alleviated, but the tuft of material26areduces the tendency of the object being packaged within the container11from gravitating through the tuft of material26ato the closed lower end14of the container11. Further, since the flexible substrate28ais disposed substantially adjacent the closed lower end14of the container11, the container11can be selectively moved to the collapsed or substantially flattened condition whereby the tuft of material remains within the object receiving space20of the container11in the same manner as has been herein before described with reference toFIG. 2. It should also be noted that the tuft of material26acan also be bondingly connected to the interior surface16of the container11and/or the flexible substrate28acan be bondingly connected to the closed lower end14of the container11to ensure stabilization of the tuft of material26awithin the object receiving space20of the container11when the container11is in either the erect condition as shown inFIG. 1, or the collapsed condition as shown inFIG. 2.

The flexible substrate28acan be fabricated with any material which has sufficient flexibility to permit the container11to be selectively moved to the collapsed or flattened condition, while at the same time having sufficient structural integrity to permit either the printing of the printed pattern42on the upper surface44thereof or to permit the tuft of material26ato be bondingly connected to the upper surface44of the flexible substrate28a. Typical materials which may be employed in the construction of the flexible substrate28aare polymeric film, paper, cardboard, laminations thereof or any other material capable of functioning in the matter herein described.

Referring now toFIG. 10, shown therein is another embodiment of a container assembly50constructed in accordance with the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s). The container assembly50is provided with a collapsible and/or erectable container51which is disposed in an erect condition inFIG. 10and a collapsible or substantially flattened condition inFIG. 11. The container51includes an open upper end52, a closed lower end54, an inner surface56, an outer surface58, and an object receiving space60.

A packaging material61(i.e., a tuft of material62formed of a plurality of individual strips or strands of material64, such as the individual strips or strands24herein before described and which may be intertwined with one another), is disposed within the object receiving space60of the container51for cushioning objects disposed within the object receiving space60of the container51. The tuft of material62can be connected to at least a portion of the inner surface56of the container51so that the tuft of material62extends from the closed lower end54of the container51towards the open upper end52thereof; or the tuft of material62can be connected to a flexible, inflatable substrate assembly such as the flexible, inflatable substrate assembly28herein before described; or to a flexible substrate28aas also herein before described.

When employing a flexible, inflatable substrate assembly or a flexible substrate in combination with the container51, the flexible inflatable substrate assembly or the flexible substrate are supported within the object receiving space60of the container51in the same manner as herein before described with reference to the container11. When employing a flexible inflatable substrate assembly or a flexible substrate in combination with the tuft of material62, the tuft of material62may be bondingly connected to the flexible inflatable substrate assembly or the flexible substrate as herein before described, and the tuft of material62may also be bonded to at least a portion of the inner surface56of the container51which surrounds the object receiving space60of the container51.

As previously stated, the strips or strands of material64constituting the tuft of material62can be intertwined and bonded together by applying a bonding material to at least a portion of the closed lower end54and/or the inner surface56of the container51. Further, the strips or strands of material64which constitutes the tuft of material62can be formed into a mass of the tuft of material62by employing a combination of a bonding material and the mere intertwining of the strips or strands of material64constituting the tuft of material62.

As shown inFIG. 10, the container51can be selectively disposed in a collapsed or substantially flattened condition. When the container51is in the collapsed or substantially flattened condition, the tuft of material62remains within the object receiving space60of the container51in the same manner herein before described with reference to the container11.

Referring now toFIG. 11, another embodiment of a container assembly70for use in the practice in the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) is shown. The container assembly70is provided with an inflatable container71which can be selectively inflated to an erect condition (as shown inFIG. 12) or deflated so as to be disposed in a collapsed or substantially flattened condition (as shown inFIG. 13). The container71is provided with an open upper end72, a closed lower end74, an inner surface76, an outer surface78, and an object receiving space80.

A tuft of material82is formed of a plurality of individual strips or strands of material84, such as the individual strips or strands of material24herein before described, which may be intertwined with one another and which can be supported within the object receiving space80of the container71for cushioning objects disposed within the object receiving space80of the container71when the container71is in an inflated or erect condition. The tuft of material82can be connected to at least a portion of the inner surface76of the container71so that the tuft of material82extends from the closed lower end74of the container71towards the open upper end72thereof; or the tuft of material82can be connected to a flexible, inflatable substrate such as the flexible inflatable substrate24herein before described or to a flexible substrate such as the flexible substrate28aas also herein before described.

When employing a flexible inflatable substrate assembly or a flexible substrate in combination with the container71, the flexible inflatable substrate assembly or the flexible substrate are supported within the object opening80of the container71in the same manner is herein before described with reference to the container11. When employing a flexible inflatable substrate assembly or a flexible substrate in combination with the tuft of materials82, the tuft of material82can be bondingly connected to the flexible inflatable substrate assembly or the flexible substrate as hereinbefore described, and the tuft of material may also be bonded to at least a portion of the inner surface76which surrounds the object receiving space80of the container71.

The strips or strands of material84constituting the tuft of material82can be intertwined and bonded together by applying a bonding material to at least a portion of the closed lower end74and/or the inner surface76of the container71. Further, the strips or strands of material84which constitutes the tuft of material82can be formed into a mass of the tuft of material82by employing a combination of bonding material and the mere intertwining of the strips or strands of material constituting the tuft of material82. As shown inFIG. 13, when the container is selectively disposed in a substantially collapsed, flattened, or deflated condition, the tuft of material82remains within the object receiving space80of the container71in the same manner hereinbefore described with reference to the container11. Lastly, it is to be understood that the container71can be provided with a pictorial decoration on the outer surface78thereof, such as, for example, a pictorial representation of a chicken.

From the above description, it is clear that the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) is well adapted to carry out the objects and to attain the advantages mentioned herein as well as those inherent in the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s). While certain embodiments of the inventive concept(s) have been described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished within the spirit of the inventive concept(s) disclosed and claimed.