US3450251A - Clothes bag container - Google Patents

Description

June 17, 1969 G. B. SIMMONS 3,450,251

CLOTHES BAG CONTAINER Filed Feb. 26, 1968 Sheet L of 2 4 15 5a Z2 27 4a 20 =2 35. INVENTOR 2 ZZ GE'AALD B. SIMMONS I I w ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,450,251 CLOTHES BAG CONTAINER Gerald 1!. Simmons, Deerfield, Ill., assignor to Hoerner- Waldorf Corporation, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 708,029 Int. Cl. B65d 85/18 U.S. Cl. 206-7 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE T he present invention resides in the provision of a telescope container designed to enclose a garment bag in folded condition so that the garment bag may be inserted in the storage hold of an airplane during flight. The base portion of the container includes a pair of parallel rollers which are detachably engaged to the end walls of the container. The upper portion of the garment bag is inserted along the bottom of the container base, and one roller is inserted near one side wall so that the bag may be folded around the roller end toward the opposite side. The second roller is then inserted over the bag, and the bag is reversely folded over this roller to contain the bag in folded condition when the top section is applied.

This invention relates to an improvement in clothes bag containers and deals particularly with a container designed to hold a plastic bag of clothes on airplanes and the like.

In traveling [from one place to another, many persons have adopted the practice of placing a suit, coat or other wearing apparel in a plastic bag and carrying the bag onto the plane. Certain governmental agencies have objected to this practice on the ground that the wearing apparel should be stored in the cargo area of the plane with suitcases and other luggage rather than in the passenger compartment. As a result, when a passenger carries a bag of clothing to the ticket counter, one air line requires that the bag be stored in the cargo area of the plane during the flight. In order to protect the clothing during the flight, the air line provides telescoping containers into which the bag may be placed during flight in order to comply with the travel requirements and in order to prevent the clothing from being injured or soiled while in route.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a simple telescoping container which includes an apertured tab through which the hook of the garment bag maybe inserted, and including a pair of removable paper tubes about which the bag may be folded to hold the garment bag in place within the container.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of :a container of the type described having a length which will accommodate the width of a clothes bag, and a width in the opposite direction which is considerably shorter than the length of the clothes bag. The ends of the container are provided with apertures designed to accommodate a pair of rollers which may comprise merely a pair of spirally wound paper tubes. The upper portions of the bag may be placed on the bottom panel of the container with the hook of the garment bag extending through a tab on one wall of the container. A first tube or roller is engaged in the apertures most remote from the wall bearing the tab to extend transversely across the bag. The bag is then folded over this roller toward the opposite side wall of the container, and the second roller is inserted to extend parallel to the first and to overlie the garment bag. The bag is then again folded in a reverse direction over the second roller and the cover of the container is telescoped onto the 'base 3,450,251 Patented June 17, 1969 portion. The clothes bag is then ready for storage in the hold of the plane with other baggage.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a container for a clothes bag which is of substantially less size than the clothes bag and which includes rollers about which the bag may be lfolded in order to prevent the creasing of the clothes within the bag during shipment.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a container of the type described which may be normally stored in a fiat form, but which may be readily set up for use. The rollers or tubes are of proper length so that they will remain in place while the container is in use, the tubes or rollers being disengageable by flexing an end of the container outwardly a distance sufficient to disengage the tube. When the bag is .in place in the container, and the two parts of the container are telescoped together, the 'apertu-red walls are prevented by the end walls of the cover from flexing to the extent necessary to disengage the ends of the rollers while the container is in use.

These and other object-s and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the closed container.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the container in readiness to receive a clothes bag.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the rollers in place therein.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view through the container, the position of the section being indicated by the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the container, the position of the section being indicated by the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the cover portion of the container is formed.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the lower portion of the container is formed.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the container in partially set up lform.

FIGURE 9 :is a view similar to FIGURE 4 showing a modified arrangement of rollers.

As will be evident, the specific form of construction of the container, and particularly of the cover portion of the container, may be varied. The particular construction illustrated has been employed because of the fact that the end walls of the cover are stiff and rigid and act to hold the end walls of the lower portion of the container from bowing outwardly when the two parts are telescoped together. The structure is also high in "stacking strength.

The blank A from which the cover is formed includes a bottom panel '10 which is foldably connected along parallel fol-d lines 1 1 to side walls 12. The ends of the bottom panel 10 are connected along right angularly extending fold lines 13 to outer end wall panels 14 and 15. The ends of the outer end wall panels 14 and 15 are connected along double lines of = fold 16 and 17 to inner end wall panels 19 and 20. Corner llaps 21 are rfoldably connected to one end of each side wall 12 along fold lines 18 which are substantially extensions of one fold line 13. Corner flaps 22 are foldably connected to the other ends of the side walls 12 along fold lines 18 which are substantially continuations of the other fold line 13.

The inner end walls 19 and 20 are provided with a pair of projecting tongues or cars 23 and 24 respectively. The bottom panel 10 is provided with slots 25 and 26 designed to accommodate the tongues 23 and 24 respectively. In setting up the cover A, the side walls 12 are 3 folded upwardly into right angular relation to the panel 10, and the corner flaps 21 and 22 are folded inwardly along the fold lines 18 into opposed aligned relation overlying the fold lines 13. The end wall panels 14 and 1 are folded upwardly and outwardly of the corner flaps 21 and 22, and the inner end walls panels 19 and 20 are folded over the corner flaps and downwardly so that the tongues 23, 24 engage in the slots 25 and 26 respectively.

The blank B from which the lower portion of the container is formed includes the rectangular bottom panel 30 hingedly connected along parallel fold lines 31 to side walls 32. The side walls 32 are connected along double fold lines 33 to inner side wall panels 34 and 35. The ends of the bottom panel 30 are connected along fold lines 36 to outer end walls 37. The outer end walls 37 are connected along double fold lines 39 to inner end walls 40.

Corner flaps 41 are foldably connected to the ends of the side walls 32 along fold lines 38 which are substantially extensions of the fold lines 36. In setting up the blank B, the side walls 32 are hinged upwardly into right angular relation to the bottom panel 30, and the corner flaps 41 are folded inwardly along the fold lines 38 into substantially end abutting relation as indicated in FIG- URE 8 of the drawings. The end walls 37 are folded upwardly into right angular relation to the bottom panel 30, and the inner end walls are folded inwardly and downwardly to enclose the corner flaps 41. The inner end walls 40 are provided with projecting tongues 42 which are engaged in slots 43 at opposite ends of the bottom panel 30. The inner side walls 34 and 35 are provided with projecting tongues 44 and 45 respectively which are engageable in slots 46 and 47 at the opposite sides of the bottom panel 30. In the arrangement illustrated, the inner side wall 34 is provided with two tongues 44 while the inner side wall 35 is provided with three such tongues 45.

A tab 49 is defined by a U-shaped eut line or perforated line 50, the ends of which terminate at a fold line 51 parallel to the ends of the side wall 34. The tab 49 is apertured as indicated at 52. The tab 49 is designed to fold into right angular relation to the side wall panel 34 to receive the hook 53 of a garment bag C illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. The inner end walls 40 of the container portion B are provided with a pair of spaced apertures 54 near opposite sides thereof, the apertures being spaced a generally equal distance from the sides of the wall panels 40. The corner flaps 41 are provided with apertures 55 which register with the apertures 54 when the blank B has been set up. In the specific arrangement illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 8 of the drawings, the apertures 54 and 55 are positioned an equal distance from the bottom panel 30. As indicated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings, the apretures 54, 55 may be arranged so that one tubular roller 56 may be spaced from the bottom panel 30 a distance greater than the other tubular roller 57.

The tubular rollers 56 and 57 are engaged in the apertures 54, 55 by inserting one end of each roller in one pair of aligned apertures, and bowing the end walls outwardly slightly until the opposite roller end engages in the apertures at the opposite end of the container portion B. This may be readily accomplished when the cover is removed. However, once the cover section A is in place, the rollers are securely held in position as the end walls are prevented from flexing outwardly.

The bag C is preferably inserted into the lower portion B of the container while the tubes are removed. The hook 53 is engaged in the tab 49. The bag is preferably draped over the side of the container opposite that to which the bag is hooked. The tube 57 is then inserted over the bag. The bag C is then folded about the roller 57 to overlie the side of the container to which the bag is hooked. The roller 56 is then inserted over the bag and the lower end of the bag is folded about the roller 56 to overlie the intermediate portion of the bag, as is indicated in dotted outline in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. The cover portion A of the container is applied and the container may then be placed in the hold of the airplane.

In order to permit the container to be tagged in a manner similar to other baggage, a pair of apertures or potential apertures 60 and 61 are provided on opposite sides of the fold line 13 connecting the bottom panel 10 to the outer end wall 14 of the top section A. The ends of the corner flaps 21 are notched as indicated at 62 inwardly of the aperture 60, and the inner end wall 19 is similarly notched as indicated at 63 so that the string of a tag may be inserted through one aperture and out the other without interference with the inner structure.

As indicated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings, the tubular roller 56 may be placed at a greater distance from the bottom panel 30 than the other roller 57 so that the bag C may fold more uniformly within the container. As the structure is otherwise identical to that described, the same identifying numerals have been used.

I claim:

1. A container for containing a flexible clothes bag comprising:

an open topped tray having a bottom panel, side and end walls extending upwardly from the edges of said bottom panel and corner flaps connecting the corners of said side and end walls,

means detachably supporting a pair of rollers in parallel relation between the end walls of said tray,

said rollers being spaced from the bottom panel and from the side wall panels a distance sufficient to accommodate the bag to extend therebetween,

end wall liner panels hinged to the upper edges of said end walls and folded inwardly thereof, said end wall panels including apertures into which said rollers extend,

said corner flaps extending between said end walls and said end wall liner panels and including apertures aligned with the previously described apertures and into which said rollers extend.

2. A container for containing a flexible clothes bag comprising:

an open topped tray having a bottom panel, side and end walls extending upwardly from the edges of said bottom panel and corner flaps connecting the corners of said side and end walls,

means detachably supporting a pair of rollers in parallel relation between the end walls of said tray, said rollers being spaced from the bottom panel and from the side wall panels a distance sufiicient to accommodate the bag to extend therebetween,

said clothes bag being provided at one end with a supporting hook, and

an apertured flap on one of said side walls through which said hook may extend.

3. A container for containing a flexible clothes bag comprising:

an open topped tray having a rectangular bottom panel and two pairs of opposed walls extending upwardly from the edges of said bottom panel,

corner flaps hinged to the ends of one pair of opposed walls and folded inwardly of the walls of the other said pair,

liner panels hinged to the upper edges of said walls of said other pair and folded down inwardly of said corner flaps,

said liner panels each having at least one aperture therethrough, the apertures in the liner panels being in opposed relation,

said corner flaps lying outwardly of said apertures having apertures aligned with said previously described apertures, and

a roller having its ends engaged in said apertures and 3,450,251 :5 6 extending substantially parallel to said one pair of FOREIGN PATENTS side walls 0 said roller being spaced from said bottom panel and 9: E232: side Wall panels a distance sufficient to accommodate 1 11/1958 France the bag therebetween.

a 5 References Cited JOSEPH R. LECLA-IR, Primary Exam mer. UNITED STATES PATENTS J. M. CASKIE, Assistant Exammer. 1,192,168 7/1916 Cook. US. Cl. X.R.

1,866,150 7/1932 Books. 10 19 41

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