Transparent shirt box

Abstract

A shirt box has a collapsible (collapsed) state in which the sides of the collapsed box are defined by first and second fold lines that are part of the first set of fold lines and in the fully assembled (closed) state, the box has a substantially trapezoidal shape the sides of which are defined by a third fold line that is different from the first fold line and a fourth fold line that is different from the second fold line.

1 . A shirt box suitable for receiving one or more shirts comprising:
 a single sheet of substantially transparent plastic;   a plurality of fold lines in the plastic sheet including a first set of generally parallel fold lines and a second set of generally parallel fold lines;   a series of first panels each being separated from a next panel in the series by a respective fold line in the first set of fold lines, the first panels being foldable along said respective fold lines in a first direction to define a hollow central cavity for the shirt box; and   a set of second panels each having a boundary along a respective fold line in the second set of fold lines to a respective first panel, the second panels being foldable along said respective fold lines in a second direction which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction to define first and second peripheral ends of the shirt box;   wherein first and second fastening panels that are part of the set of first panels are attached to another along a fastening region to connect the set of first panels in series and define the central cavity;   wherein the shirt box has a collapsible state in which the sides of the collapsed box are defined by first and second fold lines that are part of the first set of fold lines and in the assembled state, the box has a substantially trapezoidal shape the sides of which are defined by a third fold line that is different from the first fold line and a fourth fold line that is different from the second fold line, wherein the first fastening panel is defined by the first and third fold lines.   
   
   
       2 . The shirt box of  claim 1 , wherein the third fold line comprises the fastening region and defines one side of the box in the assembled state. 
   
   
       3 . The shirt box of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of panels includes a first end panel and a second end panel that are bounded along the second set of fold lines to a bottom panel that is part of the first set of panels and defines a bottom of the shirt box in the assembled state, wherein each of the first and second end panels is intersected and partitioned into first and second sections by one fold line of the first set of fold lines. 
   
   
       4 . The shirt box of  claim 3 , wherein the one fold line defines an inner edge of the first fastening panel. 
   
   
       5 . The shirt box of  claim 3 , wherein the first section has a triangular shape. 
   
   
       6 . The shirt box of  claim 5 , wherein a hypotenuse of the triangle intersects one end of the fastening region and one edge of the end panel. 
   
   
       7 . The shirt box of  claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second end panels has a trapezoidal shape with one beveled side edge being a free edge of the first section and another beveled side edge being a free edge of the second section. 
   
   
       8 . The shirt box of  claim 3 , wherein in the collapsed box, the first section is folded over a portion of the second section. 
   
   
       9 . The shirt box of  claim 7 , wherein in the collapsed box, the pair of beveled edges that define the trapezoidal shape of the end panel when the box is assembled are substantially parallel to one another. 
   
   
       10 . The shirt box of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second fastening panels are attached to one another by a crimped structure. 
   
   
       11 . The shirt box of  claim 1 , wherein the set of first panels includes a bottom panel, a top panel and a pair of side panels that extend between the bottom and top panels, each of the first and second side panels being formed at an angle other than 90 degrees with respect to the top panel and the bottom panel. 
   
   
       12 . The shirt box of  claim 11 , wherein in the collapsed box, one side panel lies adjacent and in the same plane as the bottom panel, while the other side panel lies above the bottom panel and in a different plane. 
   
   
       13 . The shirt box of  claim 1 , wherein the first fold line is formed between the first fastening panel and a bottom panel that is part of the first set of panels, wherein in the collapsed box, the first fastening panel is folded over the bottom panel, while in the assembled state, the first fastening panel and the bottom panel lie at least substantially in the same plane. 
   
   
       14 . The shirt box of  claim 1 , further including first and second double-sided tape members, each tape member having a first side in adhesive contact with a respective second panel and having a second side; and
 first and second removable strips overlying the second side of the first and second double-sided tape members, respectively,   wherein in a first state, the first and second removable strips overlie the first and second tape members, and a second state in which the second side of at least one of the tape members is in adhesive contact with one of the panels and in which the hollow central cavity is sized to receive one or more shirts.   
   
   
       15 . A shirt box suitable for receiving one or more shirts comprising:
 a single sheet of substantially transparent plastic;   a plurality of fold lines in the plastic sheet including a first set of generally parallel fold lines and a second set of generally parallel fold lines;   a series of first panels each being separated from a next panel in the series by a respective fold line in the first set of fold lines, the first panels being foldable along said respective fold lines in a first direction to define a hollow central cavity for the shirt box; and   a set of second panels each having a boundary along a respective fold line in the second set of fold lines to a respective first panel, the second panels being foldable along said respective fold lines in a second direction which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction to define first and second peripheral ends of the shirt box, the set of second panels including a pair of first end panels;   wherein first and second fastening panels that are part of the set of first panels are attached to another along a fastening region to connect the set of first panels in series and define the central cavity, the first fastening panel being defined by an inner edge that is included in the first set of fold lines and intersects and partitions each of the first end panels into two sections;   wherein the shirt box has a collapsed state in which the first fastening panel is folded about its inner edge so as to fold one section of the first end panel over the other section thereof, while in the assembled state, the box has a substantially trapezoidal shape and the first fastening panel is unfolded so that the two sections have a trapezoidal shape.   
   
   
       16 . A combination of tuxedo clothing articles packaged for sale within a substantially transparent box comprising;
 a folded shirt having a collar;   a necktie supported by the shirt;   a folded cummerbund supported by a support structure;   the transparent box of  claim 1 , wherein the folded shirt and necktie are disposed in a first section of the central cavity of the box and the folded cummerbund and the support structure are disposed in a second section of the central cavity that is adjacent the first section.   
   
   
       17 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein the support structure comprises a piece of cardboard.