Abstract:
The present invention relates to flatware box and kit. More specifically, the present invention relates to a flatware box and kit which contains a set of flatware attached to a rack, in which the top of the box consists of a see through window, means for interlocking the top of the box to the bottom of the box and means for dispensing the flatware box and kit on a store shelf in the upright position so that the contents of the box is visible, while at the same time, the box containing the flatware and kit leans back on the shelf rather then forward, preventing the toppling of the box and kit off the shelf and on to passers by.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a flatware box and kit. More specifically, the present invention relates to a flatware box and kit which contains a set of flatware attached to a rack, in which the top of the box consists of a see-through window, means for interlocking the top of the box to the bottom of the box, and means for dispensing the flatware box and kit on a store shelf in the upright position so that the contents of the box are visible, while at the same time, the box containing the flatware and kit leans back on the shelf rather than forward, preventing the toppling of the box and kit off the shelf and on to passers-by.  
         [0003]     Flatware and flatware racks have been around a long time and packaged within various types of boxes. Typically, flatware will be packaged in a box which will not allow the purchaser to see the contents as they are contained in the box. Sometimes the box will have a picture of the flatware on the outside, other times no picture will be displayed. If such is the case, it is typical for the store selling the flatware to display an open set of the flatware so as to allow the consumer to see what he/she is purchasing. In such situations, however, what is actually contained within the box is not seen by the purchaser until the box is ned.  
         [0004]     The ideal box for flatware would, therefore, be a box which contains a see-through top, allowing the consumer to check its contents without actually having to open the box. Examples of such display boxes with see-through tops or large windows are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,325 to Yonker et al, issued Apr. 25, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,703B1 to Thompson et al, issued Oct. 8, 2002; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,366B to Edgerton et al, issued Apr. 16, 2002.  
         [0005]     There are two problems presented by a box with a see-through top. The first is how the box is displayed on the store shelf. When there is no see-through top, the contents of one box are displayed and usually the boxes containing the flatware to be purchased will be stacked one on top of the other, in a nearby location, out of harms way. When the box contains a see-through top, the box itself acts as the display product and therefore, must be positioned accordingly. The store owner, therefore, would ideally place the box with the see-through top in the upright position, rather then the flat stacked position, allowing the consumer to see what is contained within the box. The boxes will then be lined up one behind the other, so that as the boxes are sold and removed from the shelf, the front of the remaining boxes is in a display position.  
         [0006]     However, when the display box is placed in the upright position, there is a danger of the box tipping over and falling on people passing by, or potential purchasers. Usually the box containing a see-through top stands vertically on the shelf, allowing the consumer to see the box&#39;s contents clearly. Given the weight of the box and its contents it is very easy for a box to tumble off the shelf and strike a passerby.  
         [0007]     A second problem presented by a box with a see-through top is that the box often tends to open up when placed in the vertical display position. This is in contrast to the typical flatware box without a window which consists of one undivided outer shell having flags at the sides or ends. As such, there is no problem of the top and bottom of the windowless box falling apart since they are one continuous piece. Additionally, since the windowless box is not the display itself, it will usually be lying flat on the shelf and therefore, there is less of a chance that it will fall off the shelf.  
         [0008]     In contrast, a flatware box with a see-through top ideally would consist of two separate pieces, a top see-through portion and a bottom support portion. A problem exists in attaching the top of the box to the bottom of the box. The problem is exacerbated when one considers that the box will usually be displayed on the store shelf in the upright position. If the flatware box is lying flat, as is usually the case when there is no see-through top or large window, then the top of the box is positioned above the bottom of the box and the box is stable. However, since the flatware box with see-through top is often displayed in the upright position, the contents of the box will drop towards the bottom of the box tending to force apart the top from the bottom.  
         [0009]     Additionally, the bottom support portion of the box is stronger and thicker than the see-through top. If the top portion is fit into the bottom portion when the box is assembled, then the top portion will be smaller than the bottom and the box will have a tendency to tip forward when placed in the upright position.  
         [0010]     As such, it would be greatly desirable to have a box which has a see-through top, which can be placed on a shelf in the upright position, with a tendency to tip or lean back on the shelf, as opposed to forward. That way the box and the kit will be inclined to fall backwards on to the shelf, rather then forwards on to passers-by. Additionally, the see-through top of the flatware box and the bottom of the flatware box should provide means to conveniently and securely lock the top and bottom of the box so that the entire kit does not split in two at any point in time and can still be opened without undue difficulty.  
         [0011]     There should also be some means for attaching the rack that holds the flatware to the support portion of the box, and the combination of the flatware and the rack to the bottom portion of the box.  
         [0012]     Accordingly, there is a need for a flatware box with a see-through top which contains means to cause the box to lean backward when in a vertical position, means to fasten the top and bottom of the box to each other, and means for attaching the flatware to the rack, and the flatware and the rack to the bottom of the box.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The present invention sets forth a flatware box and kit which consists of a see-through top, tabs causing the box to lean backward on the shelf while in the upright position, means to fasten the top of the box to the bottom of the box, and a means for attaching the flatware to the rack, and the flatware and the rack to the bottom of the box.  
         [0014]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a flatware box and kit which consists of a see-through top for ease of visualization of the contents.  
         [0015]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a flatware box and kit which consists of means for maintaining the box in the upright position when on display.  
         [0016]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a flatware box and kit which consists of means for standing the box in the upright position when on display, which further causes the box when in the upright position to lean backward rather then forward.  
         [0017]     Another object of the present invention to provide a flatware box and kit which consists of means to lock the top of the flatware box with the bottom of the flatware box so that the top and bottom of the box will not separate or split.  
         [0018]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a flatware box and kit which contains a rack capable of holding a set of flatware in an organized manner while inside the box and when removed from the box.  
         [0019]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a flatware box and kit which consists of a rack to hold flatware in an organized manner, a set of flatware organized in the rack, and means to attach the flatware to the rack.  
         [0020]     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a flatware box and kit which consists of a rack for holding flatware in an organized manner, the flatware held in the rack, and means to hold the flatware in the rack, and means to hold the rack which further consists of the rack with the flatware organized in the rack, wherein the flatware is affixed to the rack, and means of holding the rack to the bottom of the box.  
         [0021]     A further object of the invention is to provide a flatware box and kit which is relatively durable and long-lasting.  
         [0022]     Another object of the invention is to provide a flatware box and kit which contains a rack in which flatware may be easily removed or replaced.  
         [0023]     These and other objects are accomplished by providing a flatware box and kit which consists of a rack, a flatware set, a box with a see-through top, means for attaching the flatware to the rack, means for attaching the flatware rack containing the flatware set to the box, means for locking the top of the box to the bottom of the box and means for causing the box containing the flatware kit to lean backwards rather than forward when the box is in the vertical position.  
         [0024]     These, and various other and further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the detailed description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is am exploded view from the upper left side showing the major components of a flatware box and kit in accordance with the invention.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view from the upper left side of the flatware box and kit shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view from the upper left side of the top portion of the flatware box and kit shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view from the upper left side of the flatware rack of the flatware box and kit shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view from the upper left side of the bottom portion of the flatware box and kit shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 6 a  left side view of the flatware box and kit shown in  FIG. 1  as displayed on a shelf.  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the flatware rack shown in  FIG. 1  with flatware positioned in the rack.  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  shows a group of flatware secured together.  
         [0034]      FIG. 9  shows a group of flatware secured to the flatware rack. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0035]     As shown in the  FIGS. 1 through 9 , the flatware box and kit, indicated generally by reference number  10 , consists of a box  20  and a kit  30 . The kit  30  can be seen clearly in  FIG. 7 . The box consists of a top portion  100  and a bottom portion  300 . The kit consists of a rack  200  and possibly flatware  40 , which can also be seen in  FIG. 7 . The top portion  100  of the box  20  is made of a see-through material, such as plastic. The bottom portion  300  of the box  20  is made of a rigid material, such as cardboard.  
         [0036]     The top portion  100  of the box  20  consists of a roof portion  110  and four walls, a front wall  120 , a back wall  130 , a left wall  140 , and a right wall  150 . The roof portion  110  consists of a top side  111  and an under side  112 . Each of the four walls  120 ,  130 ,  140 ,  150  consist of an outer side, an inner side, a top side and a bottom side. The outer side is respectively numbered  121 ,  131 ,  141 , and  151 . The inner side is respectively numbered  122 ,  132 ,  142 , and  152 . The top side is numbered  123 ,  133 ,  143 , and  153 , respectively. The bottom side is numbered  124 ,  134 ,  144 ,  154  respectively. The top portion  100  of the box  20  is formed from one continuous piece of material which consists of four horizontal fold lines and four vertical fold lines. The four horizontal fold lines respectively are numbered  125 ,  135 ,  145 , and  155 . The vertical fold lines will be respectively numbered according to the walls that form them. Accordingly, the vertical fold lines are respectively numbered  120 / 150 ,  150 / 130 ,  130 / 140 ,  140 / 120 . The numbering for the vertical fold lines can be seen clearly in  FIG. 3 . The four horizontal fold lines  125 ,  135 ,  145 , and  155  separate the roof portion  110  from the four walls  120 ,  130 ,  140 , and  150 . The four vertical fold lines  120 / 150 ,  150 / 130 ,  130 / 140 ,  140 / 120  separate each of the four walls  120 ,  130 ,  140 ,  150 , respectively, from each other.  
         [0037]     The top portion  100  of the box  20  additionally comprises two types of tabs, leaning tabs  180  and connecting tabs  160 . There are three leaning tabs  180  and eight connecting tabs  160 . Each leaning tab  180  is formed by two cuts in the bottom side  134  of the back wall  130  of the top portion  100 . The leaning tabs  180  are folded at the point where the two adjacent cuts end, thereby forming horizontal leaning fold lines  181  (much smaller then the horizontal lines  125 ,  135 ,  145 ,  155 ), and creating a right angle between the leaning tabs  180  and the bottom side  134  of the back wall  130  of the top portion  100 . The leaning tabs  180  extend past the bottom side  134  of the back wall  130  or the top portion  100  of the box  20 , to facilitate the box  20  leaning backwards on the shelf rather then forwards. The leaning tabs  180  can be seen clearly for this purpose in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0038]     The rack portion  200  consists of a mesh bottom side  210  and a plurality of varying size compartments  220  for flatware  40  of different sizes and utility, i.e. a fork and a knife. The mesh bottom side  210  can receive connecting means  230  for securing flatware  40  to the rack  200  and for securing rack  200  and flatware  40  to the bottom portion  300  of the box  20 . The connecting means  230  can be seen clearly in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0039]     The bottom portion  300  of the box  20  consists of a floor portion  310  and four walls, front wall  320 , back wall  330 , left wall  340  and right wall  350 . The floor portion  310  consists of a top side  311  and an under side  312 . Each of the four wall  320 ,  330 ,  340 , and  350  consists of an outer side, an inner side, a top side and a bottom side. The outer side is respectively numbered  321 ,  331 ,  341 , and  351 . The inner side is respectively numbered  322 ,  332 ,  342 , and  352 . The top side is respectively numbered  323 ,  333 ,  343 , and  353 . The bottom side is respectively numbered  324 ,  334 ,  344 , and  354 . The outer side  321 ,  331 ,  341 , and  351  and the inner side  322 ,  332 ,  342 ,  352  of the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350  are created by fold lines respectively numbered  325 ,  235 ,  345 , and  355  on the top side  323 ,  333 ,  343 , and  353  of the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 , and  350  which allows each of the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 , and  350  to fold down on itself thereby causing the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 , and  350  to be of a double thickness. As such, the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350  have an external and internal portion of the outer side and an external and internal portion of the inner side. The internal portion of the outer side and the internal portion of the inner side come in contact with each other to form the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350 . The external portion of the outer side  321 ,  331 ,  341 ,  351  of the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  240 ,  350  is respectively numbered  326 ,  336 ,  346 ,  356 . The internal portion of the outer side  321 ,  331 ,  341 , and  351  of the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  240 , and  350  is respectively numbered  327 ,  337 ,  347 , and  357 . The external portion of the inner side  322 ,  332 ,  342 , and  352  of the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  240 , and  350  is respectively numbered  328 ,  338 ,  348 , and  358 . The internal portion of the inner side  322 ,  332 ,  342 , and  352  of the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  240 , and  350  is respectively numbered  329 ,  339 ,  349 , and  359 .  
         [0040]     The outer side  321 ,  331 ,  341 , and  351  and the inner side  322 ,  332 ,  342 , and  352  of all four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350  consist of a top side and a bottom side. The top side of the outer side  321 ,  331 ,  341 , and  351  is actually the top side of the inner side  322 ,  332 ,  342 , and  352  which is also the top side of the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 , and  350 . Accordingly, the top side of the outer side and the inner side shall maintain the numbering of the top side of the four walls, namely  323 ,  333 ,  343 , and  353 . The bottom side of the outer side  321 ,  331 ,  341 ,  351  and the bottom side of the inner side  322 ,  332 ,  342 ,  352  come togther to form the bottom side of the four walls  324 ,  334 ,  344 ,  354 . The bottom side of the outer portion  321 ,  331 ,  341 ,  351  falls on the fold lines  325 ,  335 ,  345 ,  355 . Accordingly, the bottom side of the outer side  321 ,  331 ,  341 ,  351  is respectively numbered  3250 ,  3350 ,  3450 ,  3550 . The bottom side of the inner side  322 ,  332 ,  342 ,  352  is the free side, and is respectively numbered  3251 ,  3351 ,  3451 ,  3551 . This numbering can be seen clearly in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0041]     At the bottom side  3251 ,  3351 ,  3451 ,  3551  of the inner side  322 ,  332 ,  342 ,  352  of all four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350  are rectangular cut out portions  370 , a total of eight (8) cut out portions  370  in all four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350 . There are two (2) cut out portions on each wall, one on each of the far corners. When the inner side  322 ,  332 ,  342 ,  352  of the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350  are folded down on the outer side  321 ,  331 ,  341 ,  351  of the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350  to create the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350  (of double thickness), the rectangular cut out portions  370  on the bottom side  3251 ,  3351 ,  3451 ,  3551  of the inner sides  322 ,  332 ,  342 ,  352  of all four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350  create a slit  371  for receiving the connecting tabs  160  of the top portion  100  of the box  20 .  
         [0042]     Additionally, the bottom portion  300  of the box  20  contains a removable floor board  380  preferably made of the same rigid material as the bottom portion  300  of the box  20 . The floor board  380  consists of a top surface  381 , an under surface  382 , a back side  383 , a front side  384 , a left side  385  and a right side  386 . The floor board fits  380  into the bottom portion  300  of the box  20  perfectly with its under surface  382  pressing against the top side  311  of the bottom portion  300  of the box  20 . All four sides  383 ,  384 ,  385 ,  386  of the floor board  380  come in contact with the internal portion  326 ,  336 ,  346 ,  356  of the inner side  322 ,  332 ,  342 ,  352  of all four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350  of the bottom portion  300  of the box  20 . The top side  323 ,  333 ,  343 ,  353  of the inner side  322 ,  332 ,  342 ,  352  of the walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350  of the bottom portion  300  of the box  20  are folded down at the fold lines  325 ,  335 ,  345 ,  355  and are essentially locked into place by having the bottom/free side  3251 ,  3351 ,  3451 ,  3551  being pressed against the top surface  381  of the floor board  380  as it is coming in contact with the internal portion  327 ,  337 ,  347 ,  357  of the outer side  321 ,  331 ,  341 ,  351  of the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350  of the bottom portion  300  of the box  20 . The numbering of the floor board can be seen clearly in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0043]     Additionally, the floor portion  310  of the bottom portion  300  of the box  20  have a number of centrally placed wholes  500  that extend from the under side  312  through the top side  311  of the floor portion  310 , and then through the entire width of the floor board  380 . These holes  500  are for receiving straps  550  that secure the rack  200  and the flatware  40  to the bottom portion  300  of the box  200 . The holes  500  can be seen clearly in  FIG. 5 . The straps  550  can be seen clearly in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0044]     As seen in  FIG. 2 . all three portions of the flatware rack with kit  10  are connected to form one entity. The way this is accomplished is that the rack  200  is secured to the bottom portion  300  of the box  20  via straps  550  that are inserted at the under side  312  of the floor portion  310  of the bottom portion  300  of the box  20  and extend upwards through the wholes  500  in the floor portion  310  and the wholes  510  in the floor board  380  and subsequently through the mesh base  210  of the rack  200 . The straps  550  are then twisted or tied to secure the rack  200  in place.  
         [0045]     The top portion  100  of the box  20  is then placed over the bottom portion  300  of the box  20  with the rack  200  attached. The top portion of the box  20  is slightly smaller in width and length then the bottom portion  300  of the box  20  so that the top portion  100  of box  20  can fit into the bottom portion  300  of the box  20  with the outer side  121 ,  131 ,  141 ,  151  of the four walls  120 ,  130 ,  140 ,  150  on the top portion  100  of the box  20  coming in contact with the internal side  329 ,  239 ,  249 ,  259  of the inner portion  322 ,  332 ,  342 ,  352  of the four walls  320 ,  330 ,  340 ,  350  of the bottom portion  300  of the box  20  when the top portion  100  of the box  20  is placed into the bottom portion  300  of the box  20 . The top portion  100  of the box  20  is secured to the bottom portion  300  of the box  20  by inserting the connecting tabs  160  on the top portion  100  of the box  20  into the slits  370  in the bottom portion  300  of the box  20 .  
         [0046]     It will be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined herein.