Patent Abstract:
I provide a hang tag, preferably used for a saleable item such as clothing, that is convertible into a storage container. The storage container can then be used to store the purchased item. In a method of use, a user can remove the hang tag from a recently purchased saleable item of clothing, and, through a series of folds and interlocking of panels, create the storage containers in which the user could place the item.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure generally relates to a device that can convertibly be used as a hang tag for an item and a container for the item. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many items for sale, in particularly clothing items, utilize hang tags as a way to convey information about the item the tag is hanging from. Hang tags on garments today are usually used to convey information about a product including, but not limited to, a brand name, description of the garment, garment benefits, size information, price, fabric content, care instructions, marketing information, where the garment was manufactured, and distribution information. These hang tags are disposable and are not kept by the consumer. Hangs tags known in the art generally do not have any other purpose than to convey information such as listed above. 
     The items that the hang tags are attached to are typically stored somewhere after purchase. Most typically, this requires use of a dresser or similar furniture piece. Drawers can be messy with many small items. Drawer organizers are helpful but expensive. Moreover, the purchaser may be at an atypical location where they do not have access to their home storage areas or any storage areas at all. In these situations, a storage area can be separately purchased for the item, but the portability and disposability of such storage areas are lacking. Additionally, in today&#39;s world of being more ecologically friendly, re-purposing of any printed matter is important. Disposing of an item when it can serve a valuable purpose for the end user such as drawer organization is hot environmentally efficient. 
     Therefore, a need exists in the art for hang tags that are utilized for reasons other than the display of information. There is a further need for such a device that provides an immediate and portable storage area for the purchased item and that can serve as a drawer organizer. 
     SUMMARY 
     I solve these needs and provides a novel hang tag with two foldable embodiments and method for using the same. The two foldable embodiments include a hang tag for providing information about an item and a storage area that can be used for the same said item. 
     This disclosure further contemplates a convertible hang tag formed from a foldable blank, the foldable blank including a front panel having a multiplicity of sides, at least three end panels hingedly attached to the sides of the front panel wherein each end panel includes at least one interlocking mechanism to interlock with an adjacent end panel; at least one front panel aperture in the front panel; and at least one end panel aperture in at least one of the end panels, wherein the at least one end panel aperture overlaps the at least one front panel aperture when the end panel containing the at least one aperture is hingedly folded toward the front panel. 
     This disclosure further contemplates a convertible hang tag for identification of clothes, including a front panel haying a multiplicity of sides, at least three end panels hingedly attached to the sides of the front panel such that each side is hingedly attached to at least one end panel, and wherein each end panel includes at least one opening and at least one tab extending outwardly from an edge thereof, such that the at least one tab of one panel can interlock with at least one opening of an adjacent panel to form a storage area. 
     This disclosure further contemplates a method for converting a tag for identifying an item into a container, including the steps of unfolding a tag to provide a front panel having a multiplicity of sides and at least three end panels hingedly attached to the sides of the front panel, and interlocking the end panels together to form a storage area. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Without restricting the full scope of my disclosure, various preferred forms of the disclosure and its related articles are illustrated in the following drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a plain view of a hang tag blank having four end panels. 
         FIG. 2  is a plain view of a second embodiment of the hang tag with adhesive closures. 
         FIG. 3  is a back view of the second folded embodiment of the hangtag. 
         FIG. 4  is a closed view of a first embodiment with a sticker closure. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the first folded closed embodiment of the hang tag. 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the first folded embodiment on an item. 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of a square first folded embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a side perspective view of the hang tag blank being folded into a second folded embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a side perspective view of the second folded embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a top perspective view of the second folded embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a top perspective of a second folded embodiment with adhesive closures. 
         FIG. 12  is a top perspective view of the second folded embodiment containing an item. 
         FIG. 13  is a plan view of a hang tag blank having eight end panels. 
         FIG. 14  is a front view of a first folded embodiment of the hang tag having eight end panels. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a foldable blank combination device generally designated by reference number  10 . As discussed below, blank  10  can be folded into either a tag that can hang off an item, typically a piece of saleable merchandise, or placed into a container for holding the same item. Blank  10  includes front panel  12  and at least three end panels  14  that are hingedly attached to front panel  12 . In preferred embodiments, end panels  14  are hingedly attached to front panel  12  along fold lines  16  with outer edges  11  that are at least the same length as fold line  16 . In alternate embodiments, end panels can be attached to front panel  14  with other devices, such as binding or laced string, that allow for relative, hinged movement between the front and end panels. 
       FIG. 1  shows a preferred embodiment of a symmetrical blank  10  having four end panels of substantially the same size. The number of end panels can vary widely while maintaining the advantages can include substantially any number of sides greater than two. For example,  FIG. 10  shows a blank having eight side panels. It will be understood by one skilled in the art that changing the number of end panels will change the shape of the ultimately formed tag or container without substantially changing the functionality. In preferred embodiments, the number of sides of front panel  12  is equal to the number of end panels, as this is the most efficient way to achieve dual foldability. Due to this variety, front panel  12  can be a variety of shapes depending on the number of end panels  14  used. In one preferred embodiment, shown in  FIG. 1 , front panel  12  is substantially a square shape. At least one aperture  32  is formed in front panel  12 . Apertures  32  are used to hang the device from an item in one of the devices functional embodiments. As shown in  FIG. 1 , blank  10  can include two apertures  32  of circular shape. One skilled in the art could understand, however, that the shape or even the number of apertures can vary within the spirit of my disclosure. 
     Blank  10  is preferably made of any foldable material known in the art. Most typically, blank  10  would be of a paper material having enough stiffness to enable portions of the blank to be folded in an upward direction. The size of the blank can be increased or decreased in scale as needed. 
     In preferred embodiments, each end panel includes at least one opening  18  and at least one tab  20  hingedly extending from side  22 . For simplicity&#39;s sake, the preferred embodiments have each panel including only one opening  18  and only one tab  20  as pictured in  FIG. 1 . It is conceivable, however, to have multiple tabs and openings on each panel. For example, an end panel  14  could have two tabs substantially next to one another on side  22  and two corresponding openings also next to each other. In alternate embodiments, any interlocking mechanism known in the art can be utilized. For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , an alternate interlocking mechanism embodiment comprises a tab  25  that includes a peel away paper  23  on an adhesive strip  21 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , end panels  14  do not require openings  18 . 
       FIGS. 3-5  show a first folding embodiment of blank  10  into tag  38 . Each end panel  14  is hingedly moved along fold lines  16  toward front panel  12 . The end panels are folded as shown in  FIG. 3  such that each end panel partially overlaps a first adjacent end panel and is in turn partially overlapped by a second adjacent panel. The end panels are held in place by the friction and pressure provided by the other end panels. In this foldable embodiments, the panels are not interlocked by openings  18  or tabs  20 . Tabs  20  are folded inwardly and are not visible or in use when tag  38  is formed. In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4 , the end panels can also be folded to overlap opposite panels and held in place with a removable sticker  13 . 
     When the panels are folded into tag  38 , the apertures  32  are folded on top of one another such that a deeper aperture  40  is created, having the thickness of one front panel and at least one side panel. As shown in  FIG. 3 , aperture  40  is visible from the front side of tag  38 .  FIG. 6  shows tag  38  attached to an item  42 . In preferred embodiments, item  42  is a saleable merchandise wherein tag  38  provides identifying information for it. To best take advantage of the features of the box, item  42  is foldable such that it can later fit into the container folded embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 8-12 . Most typically, this would be a clothing item, one example of which is  FIG. 6 . In preferred embodiments, the tag is provided on items such as underwear, jock straps, sports bras, bras, athletic apparel, bike shorts, capri pants, shirts, t-shirts, camisoles, shapers, longline underwear, pantyhose, shaping pantyhose, leggings and boy shorts. One skilled in the art would understand, however, that the tag could be used on numerous other products as well. 
     Tag  38  is attached to item  42  using a fastening device or assembly  44 . In preferred embodiments, the tag is attached to the item via at least one aperture in the tag. In these embodiments, fastening assembly  44  includes a pliable material  46  such as a string that is entered through the apertures  40  of tag  38  and a fastener  46  such as a safety pin. As one skilled in the art would understand, however, other types of fastener assemblies could be used with aperture  40  to attach tag  38  to item  42  such as a tag gun. 
     In  FIG. 7  the visible face of front panel  12  of tag  38  can be imprinted with any type of printing desired. Most typically, this will be identifying information such as a logo of the clothing manufacturer. Tag  38  can also be imprinted with any color or design. 
     In the embodiment in  FIGS. 3-5 , apertures  40  are shown in a corner of tag  38 . This creates a diamond-shaped tag as it hangs off of item  42 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . In alternate embodiments, apertures  40  can be located in other locations around the tag. One such embodiment is shown in  FIG. 7 , wherein the apertures  40  are substantially centered along one side of front panel  12 . To create this embodiment, apertures  32  of  FIG. 1  will have to be located elsewhere on blank  10 . This embodiment will create a square tag  38  as it hangs off item  40 . As would be readily understood, the apertures can be located elsewhere on the tag other than those locations depicted in  FIGS. 1-7 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8-11 , blank  10  can be folded into a second folding embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 8 , at least one tab  20  of end panel  14  is entered into an opening  18  of an adjacent end panel  14 , thereby interlocking the two adjacent panels together. Each tab extends from side  22  of end panel  14  and is designed to fit into an opening  18  in a substantially adjacent end panel. One skilled in the art will understand that the precise shapes and sizes of tabs  20  and openings  18  can vary widely while still maintaining the same functionality. In preferred embodiments, tabs  20  includes opposing converging sides  24  that converge as tab  20  extends from side  22 . Converging sides  24  extend to a crown  26  having a flat top side  28  and rounded sides  30 . Rounded sides  30  meet converging sides  24  at two opposing indents  36 . 
     Opening  18  is preferably a slit through which a portion of tab  20  can fit through, thereby interlocking two adjacent side panels. In this embodiment, a length “1” of opening  18  is smaller than a length “L” of crown  26  but greater than the length “L 1 ″” between the converging sides  24 . Opening  18  can accept crown  26  if crown  26  is entered on through opening  18  on a suitable angle. After entry, opening  18  can hold crown  26  on one side of the opening while the remainder of tab  20  is on the other side of the opening, thereby interlocking adjacent end panels  14  as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     Each tab  20  is entered into an opening in an adjacent end panel, interlocking the end panels together, until a container  48  is formed. As shown in  FIG. 9 , completed container  48  provides a storage area  50  into which items can be placed. In preferred embodiments, shown in  FIG. 12 , the item placed in storage area  50  is the same item  42  to which tag  38  was attached. To this end, a purchaser can buy an item  42  and simultaneously receive a storage container for the item that can be used as needed. This provides a purchaser with an inexpensive, portable and disposable alternative to purchases requiring separate boxes or containers to hold their purchases. 
       FIG. 11  shows an alternate embodiment wherein a container is formed when self adhesive tabs  25  are adhered onto adjacent end panels  14 . 
     I thereby provide a method for storing an item by converting a tag for identifying an item into a storage container for the item. The method includes the steps of unfolding a tag to provide a front panel having a multiplicity of sides and at least three end panels hingedly attached to the sides of the front panel and interlocking the end panels together to form a storage area. The item can thereafter be stored in the storage area. The resulting storage area is also preferably stackable with other like storage areas formed from like tags. 
     In further embodiments, the combination device can come in various shapes.  FIGS. 13-14  show an octagonal combination device that can be folded into two separate folding embodiments. Blank  52  includes an octagonal front panel  54  having sides  56 . At least one aperture  64  is cut into the front panel at a location near sides  56 . Eight end panels  58  are attached to each side  56 , creating fold lines at each side  56 . Each end panel  58  includes at least one opening  60  and at least one tab  62 . At least one of the end panels includes at least one aperture to overlap at least one aperture  64  on the front panel. As shown in  FIG. 13 , front panel  54  includes two aperture holes and two adjacent end panels  58  have one aperture each, such that when the end panels are folded toward each other, each aperture of the adjacent end panels cover one aperture of the front panel. In alternate embodiments, the apertures are in different locations on blank  52 . 
     Functionally,  FIG. 13  octagonal blank  52  is the same as blank  10  of  FIG. 1 . Each end panel  58  can be folded along fold lines  56  toward front panel  54  such that each end panel overlaps one adjacent end panel and is overlapped by an opposing adjacent end panel. This forms a first foldable embodiment that can be hung from a saleable item as a tag  66  as shown in  FIG. 14 . Tag  66  can be imprinted with any design desired such as a clothing logo. Alternatively, each end panel  58  includes at least one opening  60  and at least one tab  62  such that they can be interlocked together to form a storage area for the saleable item. In this embodiment, the storage area has a generally octagonal shape. As could be readily understood by one skilled in the art, the combination device can include substantially any number of sides greater than two and any known interlocking, mechanism known in the art such as a peel away strip can be utilized. 
     I create a method and apparatus for identifying an item of sale and storage of the item after purchase. Various changes and modifications can be made without departing from its scope or spirit. For example, each end panel does not have to be identical in shape, and can have varying lengths and widths as relative to each other. 
     While the preferred embodiments of my disclosure have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1