Patent Publication Number: US-7904999-B2

Title: Adjustable temporary casket

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This utility patent application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. provisional application 60/963,150, filed Aug. 2, 2007, which is herein expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety, for all purposes. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
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     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a casket with an inclining mechanism and more particularly to a temporary casket for visitation services where the deceased will later be cremated. 
     When the deceased is to be cremated, often the family will also want a funeral service and/or a visitation. While in some cases, the family may purchase a traditional casket, this is usually cost prohibitive. Therefore, it is common to place the deceased in a “rental casket.” 
     A rental casket is a traditional casket that has a “temporary casket” nested within the traditional casket. The temporary casket is normally a cardboard shell that fits within the rental casket. This temporary casket protects the rental casket. After the visitation, the deceased is removed along with the temporary casket, for cremation. 
     However, it is very disconcerting for family members to see their loved one in a temporary casket. It is especially upsetting to many people to see their loved one lying flat in a casket. This is because the family needs to look down into the casket to say their good-byes 
     It is much more natural and comfortable to view the deceased when he or she appears to be sleeping. To do this, the deceased is often propped up so that the head is elevated. As such, many funeral directors use pillows, rolls, plastic piping and other materials underneath the deceased&#39;s body to prop it up to appear in a more restful position. However, these items can move around, which can be extremely upsetting if the deceased is moved or jostled. Also, when the props need to be removed in order to close the casket, it can appear disrespectful. 
     In the past, devices for adjusting the vertical height and tilt of the deceased within a casket have generally been limited to traditional caskets. In part, the adjustment mechanisms cannot be attached to cardboard temporary casket walls, and also are primarily made of metal materials. The latter problem prevents the mechanisms from being able to be cremated along with the temporary casket and the deceased. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a temporary casket, and having a positionable inclining mechanism inside a cardboard casket that is made substantially from burnable material. Inside the temporary casket, a plank is attached to a mechanism that can lift and lower the plank for inclining and reclining. This allows a funeral director to easily adjust the deceased to achieve the most “restful” state. After a service, the deceased, along with the temporary casket and the mechanism itself, may be cremated. 
     A temporary casket that is adjustable permits any traditional casket to be made into a “rental” casket. The temporary casket may be inserted into a formal, traditional casket where the temporary casket shell protects the traditional casket from unfortunate effects such as embalming fluid leaks. The deceased rests inside the casket shell, on an adjustable plank. The adjusting mechanism is at the head of the deceased, but it is hidden behind pillows and linens for the wake, visitation and/or funeral service. 
     After the services, the casket shell containing the deceased may be removed, thereby allowing the deceased&#39;s family to refrain from having to purchase an expensive wood or metal casket for a viewing. Afterwards, the temporary casket may be cremated with the deceased. 
     Cremation is an alternative to the internment of an intact body in a casket. However, it may appear disrespectful to remove a deceased person from a casket to cremate, or alternatively to have to dig out the items that are used to prop a person up into a traditional “restful” state. Therefore, the present invention incorporates fully combustible materials that can be incinerated along with the deceased at the crematorium. 
     In one embodiment, a cardboard casket shell encases a wooden plank, or bed. There is an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the tilt angle between the plank and the floor of the casket shell. The adjusting mechanism includes a clamp, bracket, or other affixing device, affixed to the end of the plank. The mechanism also includes a vertical threaded rod that engages the clamp, allowing the rod to be rotatable and move the clamp axially along the rod to lift or lower the plank. 
     The threaded rod is rotated by a crank handle that engages the rod via cooperating engaging structures. In at least one embodiment, the crank handle has a downward pin that engages the rod which has a cooperating aperture at the top of the rod. 
     In at least one embodiment, the adjustment mechanism is affixed directly to the casket shell. This minimizes weight and space at the head of the casket. In another embodiment, the adjustment mechanism is affixed to a mounting wall that vertically engages the head portion of the casket shell. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. The invention may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of one embodiment of a crematable adjustable temporary casket according to the present invention showing a plank tiltably mounted on an adjustment mechanism, nested into a casket shell. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the adjustment mechanism, according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of another embodiment of the adjustment mechanism according to the present invention, mounted to a mounting wall. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the embodiment of the adjustment mechanism shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view of the crematable adjustable temporary casket, adjusted to show a deceased person in a more restful state for a visitation or funeral. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of a temporary casket assembly, showing the traditional casket with a temporary casket shell and an adjustment mechanism with a plank. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, references will be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings. Specific language will also be used to describe the same. It will, nevertheless, be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention illustrated herein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the invention provides a casket shell  2  having a floor  4 . The casket shell  2  is substantially box-shaped, and is commonly constructed of cardboard. The casket shell  2  fits into a traditional casket, allowing adjustment of a deceased person to appear sleeping. A plank  6  overlies the floor  4 , being tiltable thereto. The plank  6  may be constructed of wood or another combustible material. The combustibility of the casket shell and the plank allows a deceased person to be cremated without having to remove the body, or the adjustment devices, from the casket shell. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , an adjusting mechanism  10  is affixed by a clamp  12  to the plank  6 . The adjusting mechanism  10  is able to adjust the tilt angle defined between the plank and the casket shell floor. The adjusting mechanism  10  has a threaded rod  14  that is vertically engageable with a clamp  12 , allowing the threaded rod  14  to be rotatable for moving the clamp  12  axially along the length of the rod  14 . There is a stopper device  16  attached proximal to the top end of the threaded rod  14 , the stopper device  16  limits the distance the clamp  12  can move axially along the threaded rod  14 . The stopper device  16  also has a concentrical housing  18  that maintains the threaded rod  14  in a generally upright position, and is affixed either to the casket shell  2  directly or to a mounting wall  20 . The stopper device  16  prevents the plank from being tilted beyond a particular angle and is also responsible for maintaining the threaded rod  14  in a vertical position. 
     Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the threaded rod  14  can be mounted with an L-shaped clamp  32  that is concentrically affixed to the stopper device  16 . The threaded rod  14  is axially rotated by the use of a crank handle  22  removably attached to the threaded rod  14 . The crank handle  22  and the threaded rod  14  have cooperating engaging structures for locking the crank handle  22  and threaded rod  14  into rotational unison with each other, wherein the crank handle  22  includes a pin  26  and the threaded rod  14  includes an aperture  28 . The mounting wall  20  is pressed against a side of the casket shell  2 , at the head of the deceased person  24 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the adjustment mechanism  10  is used so that the deceased person&#39;s  24  head and torso are moved upwardly, from the floor  4  of the casket shell  2 . This allows visitors or family to view the deceased  24  in a more pleasant angle. It is extremely disconcerting and upsetting to have to look down into the casket and see a person lying flat on the floor  4  of the casket shell  2 . Likewise, the adjustment mechanism  10  is sufficiently thin or small enough that traditional casket  34  linens cover the threaded rod  14  and stopper device  16 , such that the family members do not see the mechanism  10 . 
     After a funeral service, the funeral director lowers the plank  6  by rotating the threaded rod  14  via the crank handle  22 . The deceased person  24  is lowered into the casket shell  2 , so that the traditional casket  34  can be closed. When the family and friends have left, the funeral director removes the casket shell  2 , inclusive of the deceased  24 , the plank  6 , and the adjustment mechanism  10 . The crematable temporary adjustable casket  1 , holding the deceased  24 , is then transported to a crematorium or incinerator facility. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the plank  6  with the adjustment mechanism  10  is nested within the casket shell  2 . The casket shell in turn is nested into any sort of traditional casket  34 . This allows a bereaved family to choose any traditional casket  34  for the visitation, but needs not purchase a casket for that purpose. The casket shell  2  protects the traditional casket  34 , while still allowing the funeral director to position the deceased in a respectful resting state. 
     The temporary adjustable casket  1  can be used as a container for the deceased  24  during cremation. The materials to make the casket  1  are fully incinerated. After cremation, the adjustment mechanism  10  may be easily separated from the cremains. Alternatively, prior to cremation, the adjustment mechanism  10  and mounting wall  20  can be easily removed from the plank  12 , and slid out from the temporary casket shell  2 .