Patent Publication Number: US-10759215-B1

Title: Sample storage assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to storage devices and more particularly pertains to a new storage device for storing a plurality of sample packets. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to storage devices. The prior art, generally speaking, discloses a sheet with a plurality of pouches coupled thereto for storage purposes. In each instance a perimeter edge of the pouches is fixed to the sheet such that the pouches have a fixed volume. A variety of closures is disclosed for closing the pouches. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a sheet that is positionable in a three ring binder for storing the sheet. A plurality of pockets is each coupled to the sheet to insertably receive a sample packet. Each of the pockets is expandable or collapsible to contain a varying number of the sample packets. A plurality of elastomeric bands is each coupled to the sheet. Each of the elastomeric bands is aligned with respective ones of the pockets. Each of the sample packets is extendable beneath a respective one of the elastomeric bands. In this way each of the elastomeric bands inhibits the sample packets from falling out of the pockets. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a sample storage assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a right side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, a new storage device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the sample storage assembly  10  generally comprises a sheet  12  has that is positionable in a three ring binder  14  for storing the sheet  12 . The sheet  12  has a first surface  16 , a second surface  18  and a perimeter edge  20 , and the perimeter edge  20  has a first lateral side  22  and a second lateral side  24 . The sheet  12  has a plurality of openings  26  extending through the first surface  16  and the second surface  18 . Each of the openings  26  is positioned adjacent to the first lateral side  22  and the openings  26  are spaced apart from each other and are distributed along the first lateral side  22 . The sheet  12  may have dimensions that are common to three ring binders. 
     A plurality of pockets  28  is each coupled to the sheet  12  to insertably receive a sample packet  30 . The sample packet  30  may be shampoo sample or other packet that contains a sample amount of a variety of products. Each of the pockets  28  is expandable or collapsible such that each of the pockets  28  can contain a varying number of the sample packets  30 . In this way a plurality of the sample packets  30  can be stored on the sheet  12  in an organized fashion. 
     Each of the pockets  28  has a front wall  32  and a perimeter wall  34 , and the perimeter wall  34  has a first lateral side  36 , a second lateral side  38  and a bottom side  40 . Additionally, the perimeter wall  34  has a distal edge  42  with respect to the front wall  32 . Each of the first lateral side  36  and the second lateral side  38  of the perimeter wall  34  has a plurality of pleats  44  that are distributed between the distal edge  42  and the front wall  32  such that the pleats  44  are expandable or collapsible. A label  45  is attached to the front wall  32  of each of the pockets  28  for labeling the contents of each pocket  28 . The distal edge  42  is coupled to the first surface  16  of the sheet  12  such that the front wall  32  is spaced from the first surface  16 . In this way a top end  46  of each of the pockets  28  is defined that is open for insertably receiving the sample packets  30 . The front wall  32  of each pocket  28  can be angled between a minimum distance and a maximum distance from the first surface  16 . Additionally, the plurality of pockets  28  is arranged into a plurality of columns and rows on the sheet  12 . 
     A plurality of elastomeric bands  48  is provided and each of the elastomeric bands  48  is coupled to the sheet  12 . Each of the elastomeric bands  48  is aligned with respective ones of the pockets  28 . Each of the sample packets  30  is extendable beneath a respective one of the elastomeric bands  48  when the sample packets  30  are positioned in the pockets  28 . In this way each of the elastomeric bands  48  inhibits the sample packets  30  from falling out of the pockets  28 . 
     Each of the elastomeric bands  48  has a first end  50  and a second end  52 . Each of the first end  50  and the second end  52  of each of the elastomeric bands  48  is coupled to the first surface  16  of the sheet  12 . Additionally, each of the elastomeric bands  48  is oriented to extend between the first lateral side  22  and the second lateral side  24  of the perimeter edge  20 . Each of the elastomeric bands  48  is spaced from the top end  46  of respective ones of the pockets  28 . 
     In use, the sheet  12  is positioned in the three ring binder  14  for storage and transportation. Each of the sample packets  30  is positioned in a respective one of the pockets  28  for storage. Additionally, the sample packets  30  are positioned beneath the respective elastomeric band  48 . In this way the sample packets  30  are inhibiting from falling out of the pockets  28  during transportation. Additionally, the pockets  28  can be expanded to accommodate an increasing number of the sample packets  30 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.