Patent Publication Number: US-2023149242-A1

Title: Lightweight urn with memento display

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. Application serial no. 63/280,522, filed Nov. 17, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to urns for cremated remains of humans and pets. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Humans, as well as animal pets such as dogs and cats are often cremated after death. In many cases, the family or pet owner retains the cremated remains for sentimental purposes. Urns for humans and pets vary in design from elaborate to simple wooden boxes. It can be advantageous to personalize the urn design with an imprinted name, and/or photograph of the deceased. In current designs, a wood or wood-composite container or box is outfitted with one or more photograph holders, or plaque holders. 
     One disadvantage of such designs is the cost, which is due to the cost of manufacture and materials. There is a need, therefore, for a personalizable and decorative urn design that has reduced cost, but still maintains durability and ease of use. 
     SUMMARY 
     The embodiments described herein address the above-described need, as well as others, by providing a foldable corrugated fiberboard urn that has a photograph mounting and protection arrangement. The corrugated fiberboard can facilitate the use of decorative designs by relatively straightforward printing processes. 
     A first embodiment is an urn configured to receive cremation remains that includes a folded corrugated fiberboard box. The folded corrugated fiberboard box has a bottom, a front panel, a rear panel, and first and second sides, and a lid configured to extend over a top opening and over the front panel in a closed position. The lid has a first flap inserted between the front panel and the first side in the closed position. The lid includes a window defined therethrough, and a transparent window cover, The front panel includes adhesive disposed adjacent to or aligned with the window, the adhesive configured to support a paper substrate having at least one image such that, when the lid is in the closed position, at least a portion of the at least one image is visible through the window. 
     In at least one embodiment, the front panel includes alignment markings defining an alignment position of the paper substrate. The alignment position corresponds to a mounting position of the paper substrate such that when the lid is in the closed position, the portion of the at least one image is visible through the window. 
     The above-described features and advantages, as well as others, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    shows a perspective view of a container according to a first embodiment, wherein a lid of the container is in a closed position; 
         FIG.  2    shows a perspective view of the container of  FIG.  1   , wherein a lid of the container is in an open position; 
         FIG.  3    shows a fragmentary perspective view of a box of the container of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    shows a top plan view of a corrugated fiberboard blank that can be folded to form the box of the container of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  5    shows a bottom view of the unfolded blank of  FIG.  4   ; 
         FIG.  6    shows a perspective view of the box of the container of  FIG.  1    in a first partially foldably assembled state; 
         FIG.  7    shows a perspective view of the box of the container of  FIG.  1    in a second partially foldably assembled state; and 
         FIG.  8    shows a perspective view of the box of the container of  FIG.  1    in a third partially foldably assembled state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    shows a perspective view of a container  10  according to a first exemplary embodiment in a closed state, and  FIG.  2    shows a perspective view of the container  10  in the open state. In general, the container  10  include a box  12  having a bottom (not shown in  FIG.  1   , but see bottom  22  in  FIGS.  4 ,  5  and  7   ), a front panel (or side)  14 , a rear panel (or side)  18 , a first side  16 , a second side  20 , and a lid  24 . The front panel  14 , rear panel  18 , first side  16 , second side  20  and bottom  22  form the box  12  and define a top opening  15 . The lid  24  is foldably coupled to the rear panel  18 , and is configured to extend over the top opening  15  and over the front panel  14  in a closed position, as shown in  FIG.  1   . 
     The front side  14  includes a photograph mounting arrangement  26 , discussed further below in connection with  FIG.  3   . The box  12  and lid  24  are formed of corrugated fiberboard, such as E-flute corrugated fiberboard. Other types of corrugated fiberboard may be used. 
       FIG.  4    shows a top view of a corrugated fiberboard blank  12 ′ that can be folded to form the box  12  of  FIGS.  1  and  2   , and thus constitutes the box  12  in an unfolded state.  FIG.  5    shows a bottom view of the unfolded blank  12 ′. Like structures of box  12  of  FIGS.  1  and  2    and the unfolded blank  12 ′ of  FIGS.  3  and  4    have the same reference numbers. 
     With references to  FIGS.  1 ,  2 ,  4 , and  5   , the lid  24  includes a top panel  28  foldably connected at one edge to the back panel  18 , and a front panel  30  foldably connected to the opposite edge of the top panel  28 . The fold line between the top panel  28  and the back panel  18  is parallel to the fold line between front panel  30  and the top panel  28 . The lid  24  further includes side tabs  32  foldably attached to and extending from lateral sides of the top panel  28 , and wings  38 ,  40  foldably attached to and extending from lateral sides of the front panel. 
     The top panel  28  is configured to cover the top opening  15  of the open top box  12  in the closed position. The front panel  30  is configured to fold down over, at least in part, the front panel  14 , as shown in  FIG.  1   . As shown in  FIG.  2   , among other places, the side wings  38  and  40  of the front panel  30  are configured to fit in respective openings  42 ,  43  between the front side  14  and lateral sides  16  and  20  of the box  12  in the closed position. The front panel  30  also includes a window opening or window  34  that is aligned with the photograph mounting arrangement  26  (in the closed position) such that some or all of the photograph mounting arrangement  26  is visible through the window opening  34 . In this embodiment, a piece of transparent plastic sheeting  36  is attached to the underside of the front panel  30  and covers the window opening  34 . 
     The photograph mounting arrangement  26  is configured to support a paper substrate with at least one image, such as a photograph or other decorative flat media, such that a front side of the media (i.e. the picture in the photograph) is visible and faces away from the front side  14 . As shown in  FIG.  1   , when the top panel  28  covers the open top of the box  12  and the front panel  30  is folded down over the front side  14  in the closed position, the front side of the media is visible through the transparent plastic  36  and window  34 . 
       FIG.  3    shows a fragmentary perspective view of the box  12  that is enlarged to show further detail regarding the mounting arrangement  26 . The photograph mounting arrangement  26  includes adhesive affixed to the front panel  16  and disposed adjacent to or aligned with the window  34 . With reference to both  FIGS.  1  and  3   , the adhesive is configured to support a paper substrate  70  having at least one image  72  such that, when the lid  24  is in the closed position, at least a portion of the image  72  is visible through the window  34 . In the example, the image  72  is of a pet cat, and the substrate  70  is a photograph, or in other words, paper or a paper-like product on which the image  72  is printed. 
     The adhesive in this embodiment is the adhesive portions of two strips of double-sided tape  52 . The double-sided tape  52  is attached to the outer surface of the front side  14 , and is preferably shipped with one side still covered and unused by a peelable wax paper cover  52   a . includes two pieces of double-sided tape  52   
     The photograph mounting arrangement  26  further includes alignment markings  54 ,  56  on the front panel  16 . The alignment markings  54 ,  56  define an alignment position of the paper substrate  70 . The alignment position corresponds to a mounting position of the paper substrate  70  such that when the lid  24  is in the closed position as shown in  FIG.  1   , at least a portion of the image  72  is visible through the window  34 . In this embodiment, the alignment markings include substrate template indicia  54 , image template indicia  56 , and instructions indicia  58 . 
     The substrate template indicia  54  includes line markings that indicate the size of the and position of the substrate or photograph to mount. The image template indicia  56  includes line markings that indicate the size and location of the image that will be visible through the window  34  when the lid  24  is in the closed position. It will be appreciated that the line markings  54 ,  56  need not be printed lines, but may also take the form of a linear border between two different color shades of printed matter, or any other combination of elements that provide a linear indication. 
     As discussed above,  FIG.  4    shows a blank  12 ′ of the box container  10 , which may be die cut from a single sheet of corrugated fiberboard, and  FIG.  5    shows the opposite side of the blank  12 ′. As shown in  FIG.  4   , the because the blank  12 ′ is formed of corrugated fiberboard (and in this case a bleached white wall), the container  10  (or portions thereof) may readily be printed with decorative designs/indicia, providing another feature to improve the aesthetic quality of the urn container  10  at reduced cost. In  FIGS.  4  and  5   , folds between panels of the blank 100 are shown as broken lines, and cuts are shown as solid lines. In the blank the folds are formed by scoring for folding using any suitable method as is known in the art, and the cuts are formed entirely through blank 100. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  4  and  5   , the bottom  22  includes a bottom panel  22   a , a bottom flap  22   b  foldably attached to the side  16 , and a bottom flap  22   c  foldably attached to the side  20 . The side panel  16  is also foldably attached to the bottom panel  22   a , and on an opposite edge to a foldover flap  44 . Similarly, the side panel  20  is also foldably attached to the bottom panel  22   a , and on an opposite edge to a foldover flap  46 . In general, the front panel  14  is foldably connected to one edge of the bottom panel  22   a , and the other edge of the bottom panel is connected to one edge of the back panel  18 . The opposite edge of the back panel  18  is connected to one edge of the top panel  28  of the lid  24 . The opposite edge of the top panel  28  is connected to the front panel  30  of the lid  24 . 
     The printed design in this embodiment is only printed on select visible portions of the exterior, as shown in  FIGS.  4  and  5   . However, it will be appreciated that more or less indicia may be used in more or fewer areas, as desired. It will also be appreciated that the indicia my use any suitable printed design, or even texturing. Limiting the printed design to select visible portions also reduces material costs and production costs. 
       FIG.  6    shows a first step in foldably assembling the container  10 . Firstly, the sides  16 ,  20  are folded up from a starting position shown in  FIG.  4   . The flaps  22   b  and  44  fold upward with the side  16 , and the flaps  22   c  and  46  fold upward with the side  20 . Thereafter, as shown in  FIG.  7   , the bottom flaps  22   b ,  22   c  are folded inward toward each other along their fold lines with respect to the sides  16 ,  20 . 
     Thereafter, the bottom panel  22   a  is folded up to abut the surfaces of the flaps  22   b ,  22   c , and may be secured thereto by double-sided tape, adhesive, or the like. Collectively, the bottom panel  22   a  and the flaps  22   b ,  22   c  form the bottom  22  of the box  12 . The flaps  48 ,  50  are folded inward from the front panel  14 , and the front panel  14  and folded flaps  48 ,  50  are folded upward toward side panels  16 ,  20 . The folded flaps  48 ,  50  are disposed inward and adjacent to the inner surface of the respective side panels  16 ,  20 , and thus between the front panel  14  and the side panels  16 ,  20 . The resulting structure is shown in  FIG.  8   . 
     Thereafter, the flaps  44 ,  46  are folded downward over the flaps  48 ,  50 . After folding the flaps  48 ,  50 , elongated slots are formed (by virtue of the design of the fold lines) between the front panel  14  and the sides  16 ,  20 . The flaps  48 ,  50  are within the slots. The flaps  44 ,  46  also include respective end tabs  44   a ,  46   a  that are received by corresponding slots  44   b ,  46   b  in bottom flaps  22   b ,  22   c  to hold the flaps  44 ,  46  in place in the position shown in  FIG.  3   . 
     With reference to  FIG.  2   , to close the constructed container  10 , the side tabs  32  are folded inward, and the top panel  28  of the lid  24  is folded over the interior formed by the sides  14 ,  16 ,  18  and  20 . It will be appreciated that the container  10  is initially closed for shipment or purchase without the paper substrate  70  affixed thereto, and instead with the mounting arrangement  26  as shown in  FIG.  3   . This allows for customization by the end user. 
     In any event, to place the container in the closed position, the front panel  30  of the lid  24  is folded down to cover the front side  14 , except that the opening  34  aligns with the photograph mounting arrangement  26 . The side tabs  32  are inserted inward of the foldover flaps  44 ,  46 , and the flaps  38  and  40  are inserted into the slots between the front side  14  and the sides  16 ,  18 . 
     To use the mounting arrangement  26 , the lid  24  is opened to provide access to the double-sided tape  52 . The user may select and crop any photograph, graphic art element, or other paper substrate  70  with an image  72 , such that it generally fits the substrate template indicia  54 , but also such that at least the desired portion of the image  72  fits within the image template indicia  56 . The opening  34  generally aligns with the image template indicia  56  when the lid  24  is in the closed position. The user then removes the second covers  52   a  of the tape strips  52  and attaches the substrate  70  thereto, such that when the lid  24  is closed, at least a portion of the image  72  is visible through the transparent layer  36 . In lieu of a photograph, a drawing, painting or other personalized depiction or design may be used as the substrate  70  and image  72 . 
     The user may then put the lid  24  in the closed position, while the box  12  contains cremated remains or other remains of a human or companion animal. The remains may be placed within the box before or after the substrate  70  is affixed to the mounting arrangement  26 . 
     It will be appreciated that the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative, and that those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations and modifications that incorporate the principles of the present invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.