Abstract:
An article of manufacture is provided. The article of manufacture includes a sheet of foldable material. The sheet of foldable material is configured to be folded a first way to form a package for an object. The sheet of foldable material is configured to be folded a second way to form a supplementary structure for a light source.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/683,356, filed Aug. 15, 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to packaging, and, more specifically, to making use of packaging materials to provide additional functionality to the object(s) packaged therein. 
         [0003]    Packaging waste represents one-third of all trash, costing local governments billions of dollars each year in disposal costs. Although there are many opportunities to recycle packaging, US national recycling rates have not exceeded 34 percent, with the result that much packaging ends up in costly landfills. 
         [0004]    People who enjoy venturing into the wilderness are often concerned about the gear that they need to support their enjoyment. In general, whatever gear is desired must be carried. So it is important to wilderness enthusiasts that their gear be lightweight and multifunctional. In general, such people are also concerned about waste in landfills. 
         [0005]    It would be extremely useful if packaging for outdoor gear could be converted to provide additional functionality to the gear, thus reducing both packaging waste and the amount of gear that wilderness enthusiasts carry. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The foregoing aspects and others will be readily appreciated by the skilled artisan from the following description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration that shows a foldable sheet, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration that shows the initial steps of a procedure for folding a foldable sheet into a package, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration that shows the use of a foldable sheet as a package for an object, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration that shows the removal of a removable portion that can be used to make a supplementary structure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration that shows a removable portion of a foldable sheet that has been made into a supplementary structure to be used as a light-modifying object, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration that shows cooperatively disposed fastening features that function to secure the supplementary structure, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a schematic illustration that shows an attachment feature used to secure the supplementary structure to a light-emitting device, according to an embodiment of the invention 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY 
       [0014]    An article of manufacture is disclosed. The article has a first sheet of foldable material that has a plurality of first fold lines, a plurality of second fold lines, and a plurality of removal lines. The first fold lines are configured to allow the first sheet to be folded to make a package for an object. The removal lines at least partially define at least one portion of the first sheet wherein the portion(s) can be removed to form a second sheet(s) of foldable material. The second fold lines are configured to allow the second sheet(s) to be folded to make a supplementary structure that can be used with the object to provide additional functionality to the object. At least a portion of the plurality of removal lines may be perforated. At least one line from the first fold lines may also be part of the second fold lines. 
         [0015]    In one arrangement, the object is a light source, such as a headlamp. 
         [0016]    In one arrangement, the second sheet is configured to at least partially enclose the light source and to diffuse light from the light source. In another arrangement, the supplementary structure is configured to provide lantern functionality to a headlamp by at least partially enclosing the headlamp and diffusing light from the headlamp. 
         [0017]    The first sheet and or the second sheet may also have at least one pair of cooperatively disposed fastening features such as hooks and latches, a pair of mating tabs, and male and female snaps. 
         [0018]    The supplementary structure may have at least one fitting that can be used to attach the supplementary structure to the object in a removable way. 
         [0019]    In another aspect of the invention, a headlamp package is provided. The package has a first sheet of foldable material that has a plurality of first fold lines, a plurality of second fold lines, and a plurality of removal lines. The first fold lines are configured to allow the first sheet to be folded to make a package for the headlamp. The removal lines at least partially define at least one portion of the first sheet wherein the portion(s) can be removed to form a second sheet(s) of foldable material. The second fold lines are configured to allow the second sheet(s) to be folded to make a lantern that can be used with the headlamp. At least a portion of the plurality of removal lines may be perforated. At least one line from the first fold lines may also be part of the second fold lines. 
         [0020]    In another aspect of the invention, a method of forming a lantern shade for a headlamp is provided. The steps include providing a package for the headlamp. The package is made of a sheet of foldable material that has a plurality of first fold lines, a plurality of second fold lines, and a plurality of removal lines. The sheet can be folded along the first fold lines, becoming a package for an object, such as a headlamp. At least one portion of the first sheet can be removed along the removal lines. The removed portion can be folded along the second fold lines, becoming a supplementary structure that can be used with the object, such as a lantern shade that can be used with the headlamp. In one arrangement, the removed portion has at least one pair of cooperatively disposed fastening features. The removed portion can be turned upon itself and attached to itself to form a somewhat cylindrical supplementary structure. In one arrangement, the supplementary structure also has a feature that allows it to be attached to the object. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below along with accompanying figures that illustrate the principles of the invention. The invention is described in connection with such embodiments, but the invention is not limited to any embodiment. The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents. 
         [0022]    Embodiments of the invention are related to multi-use reconfigurable packaging. In one embodiment of the present invention, a sheet of foldable packaging material is configured so that it can be folded to form a package for an object, such as a light source. The packaging sheet can be unfolded, and then refolded to form a supplementary structure that can be used with the object to provide additional functionality. 
         [0023]    In one embodiment of the invention, the supplementary structure is a cylindrically shaped, faceted lantern shade. The shade can be placed over a light source so that the light beams into the shade. Even if the light source is somewhat focused, the shade helps to diffuse the light so that ambient light can be provided. For example, headlamps usually provide focused light, that is, they illuminate the things directly in front of them and within some angle therefrom. On the other hand, they are not very useful for providing ambient light, that is light that completely surrounds the light source, such as lantern are designed to do. In the dark both kinds of light sources are useful. The headlamp makes it possible to see those things at which its brightness is directed. The lantern provides an overall, diffuse light source so that the overall environment can be seen, though generally not as brightly. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a sheet  100  made of a foldable material is provided, according to an embodiment of the invention. The foldable material may be made of, for example, paper, parchment, cardboard, a metal film, and/or a polymer-based material. In some applications, it is useful if the sheet has optical properties that allow for transmission of light. 
         [0025]    In one arrangement, the sheet  100  has a plurality of exterior edges that define a specified outside geometry. Fold line  140  for forming a package for an object may be marked on the sheet  100 , e.g., by printing, perforating, or scoring the sheet. Fold lines  150  for forming a supplementary structure may be marked on the foldable sheet, e.g., by printing, perforating, or scoring the foldable sheet. Multi-use lines  160  may be used for forming both the package and the supplementary structure. The sheet  100  may have removal lines  170  defining at least one removable portion. Removal lines  170  may be marked on the sheet  100  by printing, perforating, or scoring. 
         [0026]    In certain embodiments of the invention, the sheet  100  has features that modify the function of the package and/or the supplementary structure, such as apertures or panels. The term “panel” is used herein to signify any distinct portion of the sheet  100  that is bordered by fold lines or edges. The sheet  100  may contain an aperture (not shown) that facilitates the viewing of an object internal to the package and/or the supplementary structure. The sheet  100  may contain panels defining the bottom of the package  120  and  121 . The sheet  100  may contain panels defining the top of the package  123 . The sheet  100  may contain a panel  122  configured to be opened and closed along a fold line that defines a hinge  124 . The sheet  100  may contain a display panel  125  that can be used to facilitate display of the package by attaching to a hook or hanger. In certain embodiments of the invention, the sheet  100  may have at least one pair of cooperatively disposed fastening features such as a hook and latch, a pair of mating tabs, or male and female snaps. These features may be constructed from the sheet  100  by means of scoring, marking, or cutting the features into the sheet. These features may also be attached to the sheet  100  using a mechanical connection, an adhesive or other fastening method. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration that shows some initial steps of a procedure for folding a sheet  200  into a package, according to an embodiment of the invention. The sheet  200  can be folded in predefined directions  210  that run perpendicular to fold lines  240 . The initial steps of the folding procedure define a front  230 , sides  132 , and a back  231  of an exemplary package. 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic illustration of a perspective view of an exemplary package  305  formed by folding the sheet  200  along the first set of fold lines  240 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The removal lines  170 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , are also illustrated. In certain embodiments of the invention the removal lines  170  are inset from some or all of the fold lines  140 ,  150 ,  160  of  FIG. 1 . In other embodiments of the invention the removal lines are collinear with some or all of the fold lines  140 ,  150 . 
         [0029]    As shown in the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 4 , a sheet  400  may be separated into two parts along removal lines  470 . In one arrangement (not shown), the sheet  400  can be separated into more than two parts along a variety of removal lines. A removable portion  401  is removed from the sheet  400  and is used to make a supplementary structure. A set of external edges are defined by the original removal lines  470 . In some arrangements, the external edges  470  also define fastening features that can be used in making the supplementary structure. The removal lines  470  may also reduce or eliminate features that define the geometry of the package without reducing features used to define the supplementary structure. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration that shows an example of cooperatively disposed fastening features on a removed portion  501 : male fastening features  580  and female fastening features  585 . Lines  575  indicate a direction in which to fold the removed portion  501  so that the male features  580  the female features  585  can be connected to form a supplementary structure, according to an embodiment of the invention. Such cooperatively disposed male and female fastening features may be a hook and latch, a pair of mating tabs, male and female snaps, or Velcro™, for example. 
         [0031]      FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of a supplementary structure  601 , according to an embodiment of the invention. The supplementary structure  601  has fold lines  650  and may also have multi-use fold lines  660  that help to define the geometry of the supplementary structure  601 . The supplementary structure  601  may be a fully closed shape or may have one or more openings or apertures. The supplementary structure  601  may partially obstruct the view of an enclosed object (not shown) from a viewer. In one arrangement, the supplementary structure  601  may fully enclose the object. The supplementary structure  601  may have a fastening feature (not shown) that forms a mechanical connection to the object. In one embodiment of the invention, the supplementary structure  601  is a lantern shade. The shade can be placed over a light-emitter, such as a headlamp, and can diffuse the light therefrom so that the overall effect of the headlamp-shade combination is that of a glowing lantern, providing ambient, rather than focused light. 
         [0032]    A headlamp by itself may provide light that is too focused to be used as a glowing lantern. By reconfiguring the packaging in which the headlamp is sold, a supplementary structure (lantern shade) is made and extra functionality is provided to the headlamp. Outdoor enthusiasts can have both a headlamp and a lantern by carrying only the headlamp and the reused headlamp packaging. Thus both carrying weight and waste are reduced. 
         [0033]      FIG. 7  is a schematic illustration that shows an example of a fitting  790  that can be used to attach a supplementary structure  710  to a light-emitting object  780 , according to an embodiment of the invention. The fitting  790  may be a flexible or rigid member. The fitting  790  may completely encircle the light-emitting device  780 . The fastening feature may mate to a mechanical feature (not shown) on the light-emitting device  780 . The fitting  790  may be constructed from the original sheet  100  from  FIG. 1  by means of scoring, marking, or cutting the features into the sheet  100 . The fitting  790  may also be attached to the supplementary structure  710  using an additional mechanical connection (not shown), an adhesive or other fastening method. There may be a plurality of fastening features. 
         [0034]    This invention has been described herein in considerable detail to provide those skilled in the art with information relevant to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by different equipment, materials and devices, and that various modifications, both as to the equipment and operating procedures, can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself.