Patent Publication Number: US-2003230514-A1

Title: Container with integral card holder

Description:
[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/389,215, filed Jun. 17, 2002. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0003] The present invention relates to containers for relatively small objects. In particular, the invention is directed to a sample container for relatively small objects configured to secure one or more cards, such as business cards, onto an interior or exterior surface of the container.  
       [0004] 2. Background of the Invention  
       [0005] Containers and dispensers for small objects, such as, e.g., candy gum, tablets, pills, mechanical attachments, and mechanical and electronic devices, are well known in the art. Often such containers are used to provide a sample of a product to a potential customer. In such situations, a company representative often provides one or more cards, such as business cards that provide information required for the recipient to contact the representative and product description cards or brochures describing the sample.  
       [0006] Two problems arise in such situations. First, the representative must have both a supply of samples and a supply of cards to provide to potential customers. Often cards, particularly business cards, are kept in a card holder or dispenser, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,989 to Masoud, and discussed below. Therefore, in the exchange, the representative must hand the sample container to the potential customer, and retrieve a card from a card supply to provide to the potential customer. In some situations, this may be awkward.  
       [0007] Second, once the potential customer has received the sample and cards, it is highly desirable to keep the sample and cards together. This is especially important at events, such as trade shows, where potential customers receive numerous samples and cards and brochures. However, samples, which may be bulky, are typically placed into a sample bag, and the matching card or cards are placed into a pocket, a card holder, or simply dropped into the sample bag. As a result, cards and samples must be sorted and matched by the recipient after the event.  
       [0008] Various containers and dispensers for a small objects are known in the art. For example, U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 400,006 to Girvetz discloses a pager shaped pill box with a drawer, and U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 407,972 to Hilton discloses a sliding case.  
       [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,430 to Bergh et al. discloses a container having base and lid sections, one of which has a wall member configured to be nested within the other section when the container is closed. A hinge is provided as a pivotal connection between the wall members of the lid and the base. The hinge defines a pivotal axis that is movable laterally relative to one section, while being fixed against lateral movement relative to the other section during opening and closing.  
       [0010] U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,143 to Starkermann et al. discloses a slide container, comprising a substantially flat drawer-like shell having front, rear, and parallel sidewalls, and a cover formed plate member having at least one pair of depending sidewall overlapping the cover. The shell slides in and out of the cover in a telescoping manner.  
       [0011] Card holders are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,989 to Masoud discloses a business card holder and dispenser sized to fit in a pocket. The holder comprises a lid and a base connected by a hinge. Business cards within the holder are accessible when the lid is opened. When the lid is closed, a projection-receptacle engaging mechanism located on the rim of the base engages the lid to secure the lid on the base. A finger access on the lid allows a user to open the lid with simple finger pressure to access cards within the holder.  
       [0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,815 and U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 343,638, both to Kovner, disclose a business card holder configured to removably hold business cards of different dimensions for mounting in a standard card storage and retrieval system, such as a ROLODEX®. The card holder comprises a thin, stiff, rectangular sheet with holes and slits extending from the holes to allow business cards of different sizes to be removably attached by inserting corners of the business cards into the holes. If the business card is larger than standard, its edges are slipped into the slits.  
       [0013] None of the references discussed herein overcome the problems discussed above. Therefore, a need exists for a sample container that allows providing a sample container and a card in one simple action, where the recipient need not be concerned with the possibility of separating the container and the card. The present invention provides such a sample container.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014] The present invention is directed to a sample container, comprising a lid and a base, each having an inner surface and an outer surface, and forming an inner volume. At least one of the surfaces is configured to secure one or more cards, such as business cards, product description cards, recipe cards, greeting cards, reference cards, index cards, and the like, to the surface. In a preferred embodiment, the container comprises a lid and a preferably hollow base. The preferred base comprises a plurality of sides and a bottom forming an inner volume, and the lid comprises an inner surface and an outer surface and one or more card securing members, such as, e.g., tabs, slots, grooves, or similar members, or an adhesive, preferably one that allows the card to be removed and reattached without damage, such as that used on Post-it® Brand products, double sided tape, or VELCRO® on the upper surface. However, either the lid or the base may define at least a portion of the inner volume of the container, and containers of the invention may comprise card securing members on any interior or exterior surface. In the preferred embodiment, each of the card securing members and the upper surface of the lid may form a slot configured to accept a portion of an edge or a corner of a card to secure the card to the upper surface of the lid. Any of the sides of the lid or base may be decorated. Decorations include those that are engraved, embossed, or molded into the surface, and may also comprise one or more prisms, diffraction gratings, white light holograms, or the like to provide a colored pattern on the surface. Containers in accordance with the invention may have any useful shape, and have any number of sides, ranging from four in a triangular pyramid to a theoretically infinite number of sides in a sphere. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0015]FIG. 1 illustrates a closed container of the invention;  
     [0016]FIG. 2 illustrates an open container of the invention; and  
     [0017]FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the container of FIGS. 1 and 2. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0018] The present invention is directed to a container that may be used to provide samples, where the samples are preferably small objects, such as candy, gum, collectibles, pills, tablets, mechanical connectors, electronic components, one or more ingredients required for a recipe, nuts, screws, washers, bolts, and electronic, electrical, or mechanical components and devices. The container comprises a lid and a base, where one of the lid and the base is configured to secure one or more cards on an inner or outer surface. As generally described and illustrated herein, the lid of the sample container of the invention is configured to secure a card to the outer surface of the lid. However, as will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, depending on the overall size and shape of the sample container, it will be possible to secure a card to any inner or outer surface of the container. Where at least one side of the lid or base is sufficiently large, that side may be configured to secure a card. Thus, depending upon the application, it may be desirable to secure the card to an inner or outer surface of either the lid or the base.  
     [0019] Moreover, as generally described and illustrated herein, the container of the invention is configured to secure one or more business cards to a surface. However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art, containers in accordance with the invention may be configured to secure a variety of different cards to a surface. For example, containers of the invention may be configured to secure business cards, greeting cards, product description cards, recipe cards, reference cards, index cards, and the like. Where the cards are recipe cards, the containers are preferably configured to contain ingredients required for the recipe.  
     [0020] A sample container in accordance with the invention is illustrated in perspective in FIG. 1 in a closed position and in FIG. 2 in an open position. Container  10  comprises a lid  12  and a base  14 . As illustrated, the base  14  comprises a plurality of sides  16 , and a bottom  18 , where each side  16  has an upper edge  17 . Together, the sides  16  and bottom  18  form an inner volume  20 , such that the base has an inner surface  21  and an outer surface  22 . The inner volume  20  of the base  14  is typically of a size sufficiently large to hold one or more samples of relatively small items, such as those listed above.  
     [0021] The lid  12  comprises an inner surface  23  and an outer surface  24 . The lid  12  may be relatively flat or may be shaped to form an inner volume  25 . The lid inner volume  25  may be combined with the base inner volume  20  to provide sufficient space within the container to enclose a sample item or items, or the entire space required may be provided by the base inner volume  20 . The inner surfaces  21  and  23  of either or both of the lid  12  and base  14  may be textured, such as, e.g., with dimples and/or bumps that together or in combination have a shape that corresponds to that of the one or more sample items, to position the items within the container  10 . In addition, partitions (not shown) may be provided to divide the one or both of inner volumes  20  and  25  into compartments.  
     [0022] In addition, the container  10  may be configured in a form that is inverted from that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. That is, the inner surface  21  of the base  14  may be relatively flat, and configured to secure a sample item, such that, when the lid  12  forms a cover for a sample attached to the base  14 . The lid  12  in such an embodiment opens in the manner of a ring box to reveal a sample item attached to the base  14 .  
     [0023] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the lid  12  is configured to secure one or more cards on the outer surface  24  of the lid  12 . The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a plurality of card securing members  26  on a surface of the container, more preferably a surface of the lid, and, most preferably, the outer surface  24  of the lid  12  to secure an edge or corner of one or more cards to the container.  
     [0024] The card securing members  26  and the surface  24  may be of a single piece, or the members  26  may be affixed to the surface using an adhesive, a weld, or a threaded fastener. For example, the members  26  may be the heads of screws or bolts, or may be held in position by such fasteners.  
     [0025] The card securing members may also be in the form of a plurality of slots or grooves in the surface that secure one or more edges or corners of a card. Useful slots or grooves may be formed in a surface by any means know in the art, such as by molding a groove directly into a portion of a plastic container. For example, for a rectangular card, a pair of parallel groves may be provided in a surface. One or more cards may be secured by inserting a corner of a card into each groove, and sliding the card into the grooves. Alternatively, one edge of the card may be inserted into a groove, and then, with minor bending, the opposite edge may be inserted into the opposite groove to secure the opposite edge. The slots or grooves may be parallel or perpendicular to the surface, or may be angled to better facilitate insertion of the card. In an alternate embodiment, a plurality of slots or grooves configured to accept a corner of a card, may be provided. A complementary pair of VELCRO® dots, an adhesive, preferably one that allows the card to be removed and reattached without damage, such as that used on Post-it® Brand products, or a double sided tape using a similar adhesive may also be used as card securing member to secure a card to a surface.  
     [0026] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the card securing members  26  are formed as a part of the outer surface  24  of the lid  12 . As illustrated, the members  26  and the outer surface  24  define a slot  27  that is configured to accept the corner of a card. With minor bending, each corner of a card (not shown) may be inserted into one of the slots  27  under a member  26  to secure the card to the surface  24 .  
     [0027] Preferably, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the outer surface  24  of the lid  12  is formed with a depression  32  having a shape and size that corresponds to that of the card. For example, for a business card, the depression preferably has dimensions slightly larger than a typical card, i.e., about 2.5 cm (about 1 inch) by about 8.9 cm (about 3.5 inches). However, as cards are not all rectangular, the present invention contemplates containers configured to secure any shaped card, and, thus, the depression may have any required shape.  
     [0028]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the container  10  of FIGS. 1 and 2 through a pair of members  26  taken along line  3 - 3 . As illustrated, container  10  is positioned such that the lid  12  is in its normal position at the top of the container  10 . The depression  32  divides the outer surface  24  of the lid  12  into portions  38  and  39  inside and outside the depression  32 , respectively, and, thus, the inner surface  23  of the lid  12  comprises portions  40  and  41  opposite portions  39  and  38 , respectively. As illustrated, but not necessarily, the depression  32  is sufficiently deep that the portion  38  of the outer surface  24  within the depression  32  is lower than the portion  40  of the inner surface  23  opposite the portion  39  of the outer surface  24  outside the depression. That is, where the depression  32  is depressed on one surface, the opposite surface may protrude, i.e., is raised or elevated on the opposite surface. Therefore, where the depression  32  is on the inner surface of the lid  12  or base  14  the outer surface may have a raised portion corresponding to the depression. However, it will be recognized that a depression in one side of a surface does not necessarily require a corresponding protrusion of the opposite side, which may be flat, curved, or have any useful shape.  
     [0029] As illustrated, the members  26  form a part of that portion  39  of the container  10  outside the depression  32 . That is, as illustrated, the outer portion  36  of each member  26  is part of that portion  38  of the outer surface  24  outside the depression. Similarly, the inner portion  37  of each member  26  is a part of that portion  40  of the inner surface  25  that is opposite that portion  39  of the outer surface  24  outside depression  32 . Where the container  12  is formed from a plastic material, the slots  27  and depression  32  can be formed directly during the molding process, which is preferably an injection molding process. Using injection molding, a portion of the lower part of the mold preferably contacts the upper part of the mold, thereby forming the slots  27 . That portion  38  of the outer surface  24  within the depression  32  is preferably depressed sufficiently during the injection molding process for a portion of the slots  27  to be substantially even with the inner portion  38  of the depression  32 .  
     [0030] The lid  12  and the base  14  may be connected by any means known in the art that allows access to the interior volume  20  of the base  14 . For example, any surface, such as that of the lid, may comprise a flap or door that covers an opening into the interior of the container. In a further embodiment, the lid and base may be configured to allow the lid to slide onto the base to secure items within the base, and to at least partially slide off to allow access to the interior of the container. The lid may also be configured to allow a simple snap fit to the base. Where the lid is a sliding lid, one or more latches, as described below, may or may not be used to secure the lid to the base.  
     [0031] In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the lid  12  and base  14  are connected by one or more hinges  34 . Hinges of any type known in the art may be used with the container of the invention. For example, hinges  34  may be pin type hinges or “living” hinges. Where a hinge is present between the lid  12  and base  14  on one side of the container, the container preferably comprises a latch  28  on the side opposite the hinge  34 , where the lid  12  and base  14  comprise complementary portions  29  and  30  of the latch  28 , respectively. Together the complementary portions  29  and  30  of the latch  28  secure the container  10  in a closed position, but allow the lid to be opened with finger pressure to provide access to a sample within the container. In an alternate embodiment, the hinges  34  may be replaced with a latch similar to latch  28 . In this embodiment, releasing each of the latches allows the lid to be removed by lifting or sliding the lid from the base.  
     [0032] As discussed above, the size of the container will be determined by the size of the sample item that will be stored within the container and by the size of the card or cards secured to a surface. Therefore, for example, for a business card, at least one surface of the container, preferably the outer surface of the lid, has a size greater than about 2.5 cm (about 1 inch) by about 8.8 cm (about 3.5 inches). For relatively small items a container having dimensions of about 10 cm (about 4.25 inches) long by about 6.4 cm (about 2.5 inches) wide by about 1.3 cm (about 0.5 inch) high will be sufficient. However, larger dimensions will be required for larger sample items, and any of the dimensions may be greater than those provided above. For example, a spark plug will require a container having a height of at least about 2.5 cm (about 1 inch) and a length of at least about 10 cm (about 4 inches) to about 13 cm (about 5 inches). Containers of the invention having larger dimensions may be provided for other, larger objects.  
     [0033] The containers of this invention may be made of any material that may be used to form containers, e.g., wood, glass, plastic, metal, composite materials, combinations thereof, and the like. Preferably, the container will be a plastic container. Where the container is intended for use with edible materials, the container will be formed from a material approved for use with food or other edible materials. A portion of or all of the container may be transparent, translucent, or opaque, as desired. Most preferably, the container will be formed from a clear plastic, allowing the contents of the container to be visually apparent without opening the container.  
     [0034] This invention is not limited by the embodiments disclosed herein and it will be appreciated that numerous modifications and embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and embodiments that fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.