Abstract:
A dual form and dual use of a folding accessory is disclosed. A folding plate suitable for supporting and strengthening a folded cloth or soft sheet has another use, after its role as a folding support ends. The folding accessory may be used as ‘raw material’ for preparing a useful container, for example by marking in advance proper folding lines and cutting in advance cuts in the folding accessory. Thus, once the factory manufactured and packed article has been opened, the folding accessory can be formed as a container simply by folding its various facets along the respective lines, and inserting strengthening tabs into pre-prepared cuts.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Israel Patent Application No. 240379, filed Aug. 5, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Many consumer products are presented on the shelves or delivered to the consumer with packaging means, folding accessories and the like, which are, typically, disposable in nature. Accordingly, many such products comprise elements usable until the product is first taken out of its package or put into use, and right after these elements are disposed. There is a need to allow additional use for such elements in order to reduce material waste, reduce garbage volume and maintain higher level of durability and sustainability. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A dual form and dual use of a folding accessory is disclosed. A folding plate usable for supporting and strengthening a folded cloth or soft sheet, such as the plates used in factory made shirts or bed sheets over which these articles are folded, may have another use, after its role as a folding support has ended. According to some embodiments of the invention, such a folding accessory may be used as ‘raw material’ for preparing, for example, a useful container, for example by marking in advance proper folding lines and cutting in advance cuts in the folding accessory. Thus, once the factory manufactured and packed article has been opened, the folding accessory may be formed as a container simply by folding its various facets along the respective lines, inserting strengthening tabs into pre-prepared cuts, etc. 
         [0004]    According to some embodiments of the invention, such container may have the form and size and other features that will make it useable in association with the article that was supported by it. For example, a folding accessory used to support a folded bed sheet may be folded and formed as a ‘pocket’ container adapted to be placed or hung at the side of a bed over which the bed sheet is placed, for example by disposing, in advance or otherwise, installation strap or straps on the bed sheet, adapted to enable hanging of the folded container on them. 
         [0005]    This way, not only a waste of good material is prevented and sustainability and durability are kept, but also a useful container is formed for the use of the bed sheet user. 
         [0006]    A bed sheet folded over a folding accessory plate is provided, the bed sheet comprising at least one placement aid disposed on the bed sheet; and the folding accessory formed as flat sheet and comprising at least two folding lines marked on it, and at least one strengthening cut made in a portion of the plate, wherein folding of portions of the plate along the marked folding lines in a defined order and inserting created tabs into the at least one strengthening cut so as to form a container, and wherein the folded folding accessory is adapted to be securely placed on the at least one placement aid. 
         [0007]    The folding accessory further comprising at least one hanging cut made in a portion of the folding accessory, wherein the hanging cut enables folding a portion of the folding accessory bordered by the hanging cut slightly out of the plane of that portion. 
         [0008]    The at least one placement aid in the bed sheet is formed as a ribbon attached to the bed sheet in at least two locations along the ribbon and leaving a portion of the ribbon unattached to the bed sheet. 
         [0009]    The at least one placement aid in the bed sheet is disposed on the bed sheet at a location adapted to face a side of a mattress when the bed sheet is tidily placed on the mattress. 
         [0010]    The folding accessory is adapted to contain at least one smartphone having length of at least 14.5 centimeters and thickness of at least one centimeter, when folded to form an open-top container. 
         [0011]    A method for providing a container for hanging from a bed sheet is provided comprising providing a bed sheet with folding support accessory, the folding accessory being pre-prepared for forming a container, the bed sheet being provided with hanging means, unfolding the bed sheet from the folding accessory and wrapping a mattress with it, folding the folding accessory according to the pre-prepared folding lines and cuts to form a container, and attaching the formed container to the bed sheet wrapping the mattress on the pre-prepared hanging means. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects, features, and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0013]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are schematic illustrations of a shirt and a folding accessory plate that may be used for supporting folding of the shirt, and a folded shirt over the folding accessory plate, respectively; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A  depicts a bed sheet (shown in dashed lines) folded and supported by a folding support plate having a general form of a flat rectangle; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 2B and 2C  schematically depict a folded bed sheet using a folding accessory and the folding accessory, respectively; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  schematically depict a folding accessory and a container which may be made out of a folding accessory, if folded along folding lines, respectively, according to some embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  schematically depicts a useful container that may be made of a used folding accessory if folded along folding lines, according to some embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B  depict a container and placement of the container on a ribbon disposed on a bed sheet, respectively, according to some embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5C  and  FIG. 5D  depict an additional container and additional placement means of the container on a ribbon disposed on a bed sheet, respectively, according to some embodiments of the present invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a schematic flow diagram depicting a method for making a useful container out of a folding accessory, according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    It will be appreciated that, for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention. 
         [0023]    Many products are delivered to shops or to the end consumer including folding aids or folding accessories that are designed to aid in maintaining the product in its folded position and shape until it has first been opened or put in use. For example, bed cloths or sheets are typically provided with at least one layer of stiff, flat material that helps the folded article remain folded through its travel from the production line to the shop shelf and to the consumer&#39;s home, until it is opened and put in use. Such folding accessory plate may be made of a thin piece of cardboard or semi-stiff plastic or the like, that is cut to a size and form around which the bed cloth may be folded. The stiffness of the folding support plate may be sufficient to support the folded bed cloth in its folded position and form. The form of the folding support plate may be designed to enable nice and tight folding of the bed cloth around it. Similarly, shirts may be provided to shop shelves or to end consumers, folded around a folding accessory that satisfies similar requirements with respect to form and stiffness. 
         [0024]    Reference is made to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , which are schematic illustrations of a shirt  100  and a folding accessory plate  110  that may be used for supporting folding of the shirt and folded shirt  102  over folding accessory plate  110 , respectively. Folding accessory  110  may be adapted to support a specific article, so that that the folded sides of the article are nicely supported by folding accessory  110 , as seen in  FIG. 1B . Reference is also made now to  FIG. 2A , depicting bed sheet  150  (shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 2A ) folded and supported by folding support plate  160 , having a general form of a flat rectangle. Reference is also made to  FIGS. 2B and 2C , depicting folded and packed bed sheet  170 , folded around folding accessory  180  (shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 2B ) and packed in package  185 , and folding accessory  180  ( FIG. 2C ). 
         [0025]    While this use of a folding accessory plate is well known, once the article folded over the accessory is opened, typically the role and function of the folding accessory has finished, and the folding accessory may be dumped in the trash can. In view of the evolving trend of supporting durability and sustainability, there is provided a device producible from the used folding accessory and a method of making the device. 
         [0026]    Reference is made now to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , which schematically depict folding accessory  302  and container  300  which may be made out of the used folding accessory  302 , if folded along folding lines  304 , according to some embodiments of the present invention. Folding accessory  302  may be pre-prepared by applying folding lines, cuts and cutouts, as may be required, according to the design of container  300  that is designed to be formed from the used folding accessory  302 . In the example depicted in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , container  300  is formed as a rectangular container with one open side. 
         [0027]    Reference is made now to  FIG. 4 , which schematically depicts useful container  400  that may be made of used folding accessory  402  if folded along lines  404 , according to some embodiments of the present invention. The way container  400  is made from folding accessory plate  402 , by folding the plate along folding lines  404 , is described by consecutive folding steps 1-7. Container  400  may further have some pre-prepared cuts  406  made in it. Such cuts  406  may be done so as to enable portion  400 A of the face in which the cuts are made to be slightly bent out of the plane of that face of the container, as is explained in detail with respect to  FIGS. 5A and 5B  below. 
         [0028]    Reference is made now to  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B , which depict placement of container  500  on ribbon  550  made in bed sheet  580 , respectively, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Bed sheet  580 , which was supplied folded around folding accessory, such as folding accessory  400  ( FIG. 4 ), may comprise placement one or more ribbons  550  provided thereto, as explained in details below. 
         [0029]    The bendable portion  500 A of container  500  may be slightly bent out of the volume of container  500  to enable placing container  500  on ribbon  550  that may pass through pre-prepared cuts  506 . Ribbon  550  may be made of any desired material, such as cloth, thin plastic strap, and the like. It would be apparent that ribbon  550  should preferably be disposed substantially horizontally to ensure proper placement of container  500  on it. 
         [0030]    Reference is made now to  FIG. 5B  showing a mattress covered by bed sheet  580  wherein at least one ribbon  550  is stitched or otherwise affixed to the place on the bed sheet facing a side of the mattress when the bed sheet is wrapping the mattress. Ribbon  550  may be affixed to the bed sheet at its ends  550 A leaving the portion between the ends not stitched. A container such as container  500  may be placed on ribbon  550  occupying the central portion of ribbon  550 , as explained above. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that one or more ribbons  550  may be affixed to the bed sheet, in variety of locations, as may fit the needs of a user. It would also be apparent that container  500  may have a variety of forms and volumes, depending on the original size of the folding accessory it is made of, the folding lines along which its parts are folded and finally according to cuts made in it. 
         [0031]    Reference is made now to  FIG. 5C  and  FIG. 5D , which depict placement of container  520  on ribbon  595  made in bed sheet  590 , respectively, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Bed sheet  590 , which was supplied, folded around a folding accessory, such as folding accessory  400  ( FIG. 4 ), may comprise one or more placement means in the form of ribbon  595  or cut  595 A provided thereto, as explained in detail below. 
         [0032]    The bendable portion  520 A of container  520  may be made of a strong enough material which is adapted to be bent to the form of an upside down “U” shape in the face of container  520 , thus forming a clip usable for placing container  520  on ribbon  595  or cut  595 A. Ribbon  595  or cut  585 A may be made by cutting a straight cut or two parallel cuts in bed sheet  590 . The edges of the cuts may be strengthen by any known means such as strengthening stitch, gluing a strengthening strap along the edges, and the like. It would be apparent that the cuts forming ribbon  595  or  595 A should preferably be disposed substantially horizontally to ensure proper placement of container  520  on it. 
         [0033]    Reference is made now to  FIG. 5D  showing a mattress covered by bed sheet  590  wherein at least one ribbon  595  or cut  595 A is disposed at a place on the bed sheet facing a side of the mattress when the bed sheet is wrapping the mattress. A container such as container  520  or container  500  may be placed on ribbon  595 . It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that one or more ribbons  595  or cuts  595 A may be made in the bed sheet, in variety of locations, as may fit the needs of a user. It would also be apparent that container  520  may have a variety of forms and volumes, depending on the original size of the folding accessory it is made of, the folding lines along which its parts are folded and finally according to cuts made in it. 
         [0034]    According to yet further embodiments, the plate used as folding support accessory may be folded, according to principles explained above, to form a flat container adapted to accommodate the product that initially was wrapped around it. For example, a shirt marketed and sold wrapped around and supported by a folding support accessory may be kept in a container formed from the plate of its folding support accessory, for example for keeping the shirt during long travels. 
         [0035]    Reference is made now to  FIG. 6 , which is a schematic flow diagram depicting a method for making a useful container out of a folding accessory, according to some embodiments of the present invention. A product, such as a bed sheet, may be provided wrapped around and supported by folding support accessory. The accessory may be prepared in advance with folding marks and cutouts adapted to enable forming a container from the folding accessory (block  602 ). After the product is purchased, it may be unfolded and removed off the folding accessory. The folding accessory may be formed into a container form by folding and otherwise preparing the container using its pre-prepared folding lines and strengthening cuts and tabs (block  604 ). The formed container may be put into its second use, e.g., may be hanged on the side of a bed sheet wrapping a mattress to provide a general utility container or be used for housing a folded shirt (block  604 ). 
         [0036]    While certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents will now occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.