Portable container and seating device

Claim 2

A portable seat and container device comprising a duality of units, each of said units having first and second walls in opposed relationship, and means interconnecting said opposed walls so that each of said units defines a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which said first walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means upon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said first walls of said units are at an obtuse angle to each other, each of said units having an abutment means, said abutment means being normally remote from each other but brought into interengagement when said units are in said second position for preventing movement of said units beyond said second position, each of said units being adapted for positioning said second wall thereof on a supporting surface and bearing the weight of an occupant seated on said first wall thereof.

Claim 3

A device as recited in claim 1 in which said units are identical.

Claim 4

A device as recited in claim 2 in which said hinge means includes extensions of said adjacent walls beyond said bottom ends thereof, and means connecting the outer portions of said extensions together, said extensions having flexible portions inwardly of said connecting means.

Claim 5

A portable seat and container device comprising a duality of identical units, each of said units having opposed walls, and defining a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, said hinge means including extensions of said adjacent walls beyond said bottom ends thereof, and means connecting the outer portions of said extensions together, said extensions having sections of reduced thickness inwardly of said connecting means for providing said extensions with flexible portions inwardly of said connecting means, and releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which two of said walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means upon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said units are at an obtuse angle to each other.

Claim 6

A portable seat and container device comprising a duality of identical units, each of said units having opposed walls, and defining a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, said hinge means including extensions of said adjacent walls beyond said bottom ends thereof, and means connecting the outer portions of said extensions together, said extensions having sections of reduced thickness inwardly of said connecting means for providing said extensions with flexible portions inwardly of said connecting means, and releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which two of said walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means upon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said units are at an obtuse angle to each other.

Claim 7

A device as recited in claim 4 in which, for providing said sections of reduced thickness, a groove is formed in each of said extensions in the surface thereof remote from the other of said extensions.

Claim 8

A device as recited in claim 2 in which said units are made of plastic material, and in which said connecting means is a sonic weld.

Claim 9

A device as recited in claim 2 in which said two walls have openings therethrough remote from said bottom ends thereof, said openings being in registry when said units are in said first position to enable a hand to be extended through said openings for use in carrying said units.

Claim 10

A portable seat and container device comprising a duality of identical units, each of said units having opposed walls, and defining a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, and releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which two of said walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means upon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said units are at an obtuse angle to each other, said two walls having openings therethrough remote from said bottom ends thereof, said openings being in registry when said units are in said first position to enable a hand to be extended through said openings for use in carrying said units, said two walls having outwardly bulging arcuate portions adjacent said openings and outwardly thereof for providing a gripping portion for use in carrying said unit.

Claim 11

A portable seat and container device comprising a duality of identical units, each of said units having opposed walls, and defining a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, and releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which two of said walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means upon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said units are at an obtuse angle to each other, said two walls having openings therethrough remote from said bottom ends thereof, said openings being in registry when said units are in said first position to enable a hand to be extended through said openings for use in carrying said units, said two walls having outwardly bulging arcuate portions adjacent said openings and outwardly thereof for providing a gripping portion for use in carrying said unit.

Claim 12

A device as recited in claim 2 in which said opposed walls of each of said units include an additional wall spaced from said adjacent wall thereof, said additional walls being remote from each other, said additional walls having principal portions divergent from said adjacent walls in a direction away from said bottom ends thereof, said additional walls having upper edge portions relatively less divergent from said adjacent walls than are said principal portions of said additional walls.

Claim 13

A portable seat and container device comprising a duality of identical units, each of said units having opposed walls, and defining a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, and releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which two of said walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means uPon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said units are at an obtuse angle to each other, said opposed walls of each of said units including an additional wall spaced from said adjacent wall thereof, said additional walls being remote from each other, said additional walls having principal portions divergent from said adjacent walls in a direction away from said bottom ends thereof, said additional walls having upper edge portions relatively less divergent from said adjacent walls than are said principal portions of said additional walls, each of said units including opposed end walls interconnecting said adjacent wall and said additional wall thereof, said adjacent walls having outer portions extending beyond said end walls, said outer portions being flexible for providing a yielding support for the occupant of said units when said units are in said second position thereof.

Claim 14

A portable seat and container device comprising a duality of identical units, each of said units having opposed walls, and defining a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, and releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which two of said walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means uPon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said units are at an obtuse angle to each other, said opposed walls of each of said units including an additional wall spaced from said adjacent wall thereof, said additional walls being remote from each other, said additional walls having principal portions divergent from said adjacent walls in a direction away from said bottom ends thereof, said additional walls having upper edge portions relatively less divergent from said adjacent walls than are said principal portions of said additional walls, each of said units including opposed end walls interconnecting said adjacent wall and said additional wall thereof, said adjacent walls having outer portions extending beyond said end walls, said outer portions being flexible for providing a yielding support for the occupant of said units when said units are in said second position thereof.

Claim 15

A device as recited in claim 10 in which the outer edges of said end walls are recessed inwardly.

Claim 16

A portable seat and container device comprising a duality of identical units, each of said units having opposed walls, and defining a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, and releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which two of said walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means upon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said units are at an obtuse angle to each other, said opposed walls of each of said units including an additional wall spaced from said adjacent wall thereof, said additional walls being remote from each other, said additional walls having principal portions divergent from said adjacent walls in a direction away from said bottom ends thereof, said additional walls having upper edge portions relatively less divergent from said adjacent walls than are said principal portions of said additional walls, each of said units including a bottom wall extending between said adjacent wall and said additional wall thereof, said bottom walls, when said units are in said second position, having portions in abutment.

Claim 17

A portable seat and container device comprising a duality of identical units, each of said units having opposed walls, and defining a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, and releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which two of said walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means upon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said units are at an obtuse angle to each other, said opposed walls of each of said units including an additional wall spaced from said adjacent wall thereof, said additional walls being remote from each other, said additional walls having principal portions divergent from said adjacent walls in a direction away from said bottom ends thereof, said additional walls having upper edge portions relatively less divergent from said adjacent walls than are said principal portions of said additional walls, each of said units including a bottom wall extending between said adjacent wall and said additional wall thereof, said bottom walls, when said units are in said second position, having portions in abutment.

Claim 18

A device as recited in claim 12 in which said adjacent walls include extensions projecting away from said bottom walls, and said bottom walls include recess means for receiving said extensions of said adjacent walls when said units are in said second position.

Claim 19

A device as recited in claim 12 in which said bottom walls are at an acute angle relative to a transverse plane substantially normal to said adjacent walls.

Claim 20

A device as recited in claim 14 in which said acute angle is approximately 30*.

Claim 21

A device as recited in claim 10 including stiffening ribs on at least some of said walls of said units.

Claim 22

A device as recited in claim 16 in which said ribs are on the inner surfaces of said additional walls and said end walls.

Claim 23

A device as recited in claim 1 in which said releasable fastening means comprise snaps on said adjacent walls, one of said adjacent walls having a first socket snap portion, and a first protruding snap portion in spaced adjacency therewith, the other of said adjacent walls having a second protruding snap portion in alignment with said first socket snap portion, and a second socket snap portion in alignment with said first protruding snap portion.

Claim 24

A device as recited in claim 18 in which said first socket snap portion is adjacent a first edge of said one adjacent wall and said first protruding snap portion is adjacent an opposite edge of said one adjacent wall, said first socket snap portion being spaced from said first edge a distance equal to the spacing of said first protruding snap portion from said opposite edge of said one adjacent wall.

Claim 25

A portablE seat and container device comprising a duality of identical units, each of said units having opposed walls, and defining a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, and releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which two of said walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means upon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said units are at an obtuse angle to each other, said hinge means including extensions of said adjacent walls beyond said bottom ends thereof, and means connecting the outer portions of said extensions together, said extensions having flexible portions inwardly of said connecting means, each of said extensions including a spaced protrusion and recess, said protrusion of one of said extensions being received in said recess of the other of said extensions, said protrusion of said other extension being received in said recess of said one extension for thereby aligning said units.

Claim 26

A portablE seat and container device comprising a duality of identical units, each of said units having opposed walls, and defining a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, and releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which two of said walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means upon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said units are at an obtuse angle to each other, said hinge means including extensions of said adjacent walls beyond said bottom ends thereof, and means connecting the outer portions of said extensions together, said extensions having flexible portions inwardly of said connecting means, each of said extensions including a spaced protrusion and recess, said protrusion of one of said extensions being received in said recess of the other of said extensions, said protrusion of said other extension being received in said recess of said one extension for thereby aligning said units.

Claim 27

A device as recited in claim 20 in which on each of said extensions said protrusion is adjacent one edge and said recess is adjacent an opposite edge thereof, said protrusion being spaced from said one edge a distance equal to the spacing of said recess from said opposite edge.

Claim 28

A portable seat and container device comprising a duality of units, each of said units having opposed walls, and defining a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, a first releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which two of said walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means upon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said units are at an obtuse angle to each other, and a second releasable fastening means for holding said units in said second position.

Claim 29

A portable seat and container device comprising a duality of units, each of said units having opposed walls, and defining a compartment, hinge means connecting said units together adjacent the bottom ends of said walls, a first releasable fastening means connecting said units together remote from said bottom ends, said releasable fastening means holding said units in a first position in which two of said walls are in adjacency, said units being movable about said hinge means upon release of said fastening means to a second position in which said units are at an obtuse angle to each other, and a second releasable fastening means for holding said units in said second position.

Claim 30

A device as recited in claim 22 in which each of said units has a bottom wall, said bottom walls having portions in abutment when said units are in said second position, and in which said second releasable fastening means comprise snaps on said bottom walls, one of said bottom walls having a first socket snap portion, and a first protruding snap portion in spaced adjacency therewith, the other of said bottom walls having a second protruding snap portion in alignment with said first socket snap portion, and a second socket snap portion in alignment with said first protruding snap portion.

Claim 31

A device as recited in claim 23 in which said first socket snap portion is adjacent a first edge of said one bottom wall and said first protruding snap portion is adjacent an opposite edge of said one bottom wall, said first socket snap portion being spaced from said first edge a distance equal to the spacing of said first protruding snap portion from said opposite edge of said one bottom wall.