Patent ID: 7188713

Claim:
A mat and carrier foldable between a substantially unfolded flat configuration and a storage configuration, the mat and carrier comprising: a mat and carrier component having a base panel, a plurality of side panels, and at least one intermediate panel intermediate adjacent side panels; a first set of foldable members separating each panel from its adjacent panels, the first set of foldable members facilitating re-orientation of each panel relative to its adjacent panels so as to form a container configuration; a second set of foldable members distinct from the first set of foldable members in at least some of the panels to facilitate at least partial collapsing of the mat and carrier component from the container configuration to a smaller container configuration, the mat and carrier component being selectively foldable and unfoldable between the unfolded flat configuration, the container configuration and the smaller container configuration the second set of foldable members comprising a substantially linear foldable member extending across substantially the center of the base panel and across each of a side panel on each side of the base panel; and a fastening mechanism on each side of the second foldable member in the base panel, the fastening mechanism securing to each other when the mat and carrier forms a smaller container configuration.