Collapsible and/or erectable substantially egg-shaped container

Abstract

A collapsible and/or erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is selectively moveable from a substantially erect condition to a substantially collapsed condition and/or from a substantially erect condition to a substantially collapsed condition. The collapsible and/or erectable, shape-sustaining, substantially egg-shaped container may include first and second portions, wherein at least one of the first and second portions is provided with at least one condition modifying element to facilitate erecting and/or collapsing the container. The collapsible and/or erectable, shape-sustaining, substantially egg-shaped container may also include a shape-sustaining member for maintaining the container in a substantially erect condition as well as a retaining member for maintaining the container is a substantially collapsed condition.

1 . A collapsible shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container, comprising: 
 a first portion having an upper end, a lower end, a sidewall, and a receiving space;    a second portion having an upper end, a lower end, a sidewall, and a receiving space; and    wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion is selectively moveable between a substantially erect condition and a substantially collapsed condition.    
   
   
       2 . The collapsible shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the sidewall of at least one of the first and second portions has at least one condition modifying element to facilitate collapsing the container from the substantially erect condition to the substantially collapsed condition.  
   
   
       3 . The collapsible shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one condition modifying element is selected from the group consisting of score lines, hinges, concentric sections, interlocking concentric sections, pivotally interlocking sections, sections of material which are thinner than the remainder of the container, sections of material which are more flexible than the remainder of the container, pleats, folds, perforations, creases, voids, partially or wholly cut through areas, removed portions of material, a V-shaped or U-shaped member, excess material, flexible material, stretchable material, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 1 , further comprising a connecting assembly for matingly connecting the first and second portions.  
   
   
       5 . The collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one shape-sustaining member for maintaining the substantially egg-shaped container in the substantially erect condition.  
   
   
       6 . The collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one retaining member for maintaining the substantially egg-shaped container in the substantially collapsed condition.  
   
   
       7 . The collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 1 , further comprising a joining assembly that connects the first and second portions together.  
   
   
       8 . The collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a decorative pattern, decorative design, and color disposed on at least a portion thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 1 , wherein the collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of natural polymers, synthetic polymers, plastic, foamed polymeric material, cavitated polymeric material, expanded polymeric material, polymeric materials with differential densities, polymeric materials with differential thicknesses, polymeric materials with voids formed therein, paper, cardboard, cloth, metallized film, foil, metal, clay, feathers, peat moss, wood, and combinations, aggregates or laminations thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 1 , wherein the collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is self erecting.  
   
   
       11 . The collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 1 , wherein the collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is manually erecting.  
   
   
       12 . The collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 1 , wherein the collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is self collapsing.  
   
   
       13 . The collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 1 , wherein the collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is manually collapsing.  
   
   
       14 . An erectable shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container, comprising: 
 a first portion having an upper end, a lower end, a sidewall, and a receiving space;    a second portion having an upper end, a lower end, a sidewall, and a receiving space; and    wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion is selectively moveable between a substantially collapsed condition and a substantially erect condition.    
   
   
       15 . The erectable shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the sidewall of at least one of the first and second portions has at least one condition modifying element to facilitate erecting the container from the substantially collapsed condition to the substantially erect condition.  
   
   
       16 . The erectable shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one condition modifying element is selected from the group consisting of score lines, hinges, concentric sections, interlocking concentric sections, pivotally interlocking sections, sections of material which are thinner than the remainder of the container, sections of material which are more flexible than the remainder of the container, pleats, folds, perforations, creases, voids, partially or wholly cut through areas, removed portions of material, a V-shaped or U-shaped member, excess material, flexible material, stretchable material, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       17 . The erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 14 , further comprising a connecting assembly for matingly connecting the first and second portions.  
   
   
       18 . The erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one shape-sustaining member for maintaining the substantially egg-shaped container in the substantially collapsed condition.  
   
   
       19 . The erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one retaining member for maintaining the substantially egg-shaped container in the substantially collapsed condition.  
   
   
       20 . The erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 14 , further comprising a joining assembly that connects the first and second portions together.  
   
   
       21 . The erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one of a decorative pattern, decorative design, and color disposed on at least a portion thereof.  
   
   
       22 . The erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 14 , wherein the erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of natural polymers, synthetic polymers, plastic, foamed polymeric material, cavitated polymeric material, expanded polymeric material, polymeric materials with differential densities, polymeric materials with differential thicknesses, polymeric materials with voids formed therein, paper, cardboard, cloth, metallized film, foil, metal, clay, feathers, peat moss, wood, and combinations, aggregates or laminations thereof.  
   
   
       23 . The erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 14 , wherein the erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is self erecting.  
   
   
       24 . The erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 14 , wherein the erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is manually erecting.  
   
   
       25 . The erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 14 , wherein the erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is self collapsing.  
   
   
       26 . The erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container of  claim 14 , wherein the erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is manually collapsing.  
   
   
       27 . A collapsible shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container, wherein the collapsible shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is selectively moveable between a substantially erect condition and a substantially collapsed condition.  
   
   
       28 . An erectable shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container, wherein the erectable shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container is selectively moveable between a substantially collapsed condition and a substantially erect condition.  
   
   
       29 . A method of using an erectable, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container, comprising the steps of: 
 providing an erectable shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container in a substantially collapsed condition, the erectable shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container comprising a first portion having an upper end, a lower end, a sidewall, and a receiving space, and a second portion having an upper end, a lower end, a sidewall, and a receiving space, wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion is selectively moveable between a substantially collapsed condition and a substantially erect condition;    moving at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the erectable shape-sustaining egg-shaped container from the substantially collapsed condition to the substantially erect condition;    disposing at least one object in the first portion of the erectable shape-sustaining egg-shaped container, wherein the second portion of the erectable shape-sustaining egg-shaped container acts as a shield for a portion of the at least one object disposed in the first portion of the erectable shape-sustaining egg-shaped container.    
   
   
       30 . A method of using a collapsible, shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a collapsible shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container in a substantially erect condition, the collapsible shape-sustaining substantially egg-shaped container comprising a first portion having an upper end, a lower end, a sidewall, and a receiving space, and a second portion having an upper end, a lower end, a sidewall, and a receiving space, wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion is selectively moveable between a substantially collapsed condition and a substantially erect condition;    disposing at least one object in the first portion of the erectable shape-sustaining egg-shaped container, wherein the second portion of the erectable shape-sustaining egg-shaped container acts as a shield for a portion of the at least one object disposed in the first portion of the erectable shape-sustaining egg-shaped container;    removing the at least one object from the erectable shape-sustaining egg-shaped container; and    moving at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the collapsed shape-sustaining egg-shaped container from the substantially erect condition to the substantially collapsed condition.