Art box

Abstract

A collapsible cubicle containing a play area for children is disclosed. The cubicle is constructed from four vertically disposed panels configured to fold into an attaché type case that is easily transportable from one place to another. The play area features play and educational aids displayed on the panels such as a chalk board, a flip chart with paper for drawing or painting, a dry erase board and a painting canvas.

1 . A children play cubicle, said cubicle being adapted for an assembled configuration and a collapsed configuration, said cubicle in the assembled configuration comprising:
 (a) a rectangular floor panel having a front edge, a rear edge, a left side edge and a right side edge, said floor panel being disposed horizontally on a floor;   (b) a rectangular front panel, said front panel being disposed vertically onto and being attached to an inner portion of the front edge of the floor panel, said front panel having an opening for entering and exiting the cubicle;   (c) a rectangular rear panel having a left side edge and a right side edge, said rear panel being disposed vertically onto and being attached to an inner portion of the rear edge of the floor panel;   (d) a rectangular left side panel being disposed vertically onto and being attached to an inner portion of the left side edge of the floor panel;   (e) a rectangular right side panel being disposed vertically onto and being attached to an inner portion of the right side edge of the floor panel,   said left side edge of the front panel being disposed substantially flush against an inner portion of a front side edge of the left side panel, said right side edge of the front panel being disposed substantially flush against an inner portion of a front side edge of the right side panel, said left side edge of the rear panel being disposed substantially flush against an inner portion of a rear side edge of the left side panel and said right side edge of the rear panel being disposed substantially flush against an inner portion of a rear side edge of the right side panel;   (f) a first internal hinge disposed at a bottom portion of the front panel configured for folding the front panel only inwardly in a manner as to position the front panel substantially horizontally onto the floor panel;   (g) a second internal hinge disposed at a bottom portion of the rear panel configured for folding the rear panel only inwardly in a manner as to position the rear panel substantially horizontally onto a folded front panel, said second internal hinge being vertically positioned above the first internal hinge;   (h) a third internal hinge disposed at a bottom portion of the left side panel configured for folding the left side panel only inwardly in a manner as to position the left side panel substantially horizontally onto a folded rear panel, said third internal hinge being vertically positioned above the second internal hinge;   (i) a fourth internal hinge disposed at a bottom portion of the right side panel configured for folding the right side panel only inwardly in a manner as to position the right side panel substantially horizontally onto a folded left side panel, said fourth internal hinge being vertically positioned above the third internal hinge;   (j) a first flexible strap configured for bracing the front panel with the left side panel in the assembled configuration to prevent the front panel and left side panel from unintentionally folding inwardly;   (k) a second flexible strap configured for bracing the left side panel with the rear panel in the assembled configuration to prevent the left side panel and rear panel from unintentionally folding inwardly;   (l) a third flexible strap configured for securing the front panel to the right side panel in the assembled configuration to prevent the front panel and right side panel from unintentionally folding inwardly;   (m) a fourth flexible strap configured for securing the right side panel to the rear panel in the assembled configuration to prevent the right side panel and rear panel from unintentionally folding inwardly; and   (n) two flexible straps configured for securing the floor panel to the right side panel of the cubicle in the collapsed configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The children play cubicle of  claim 1  wherein the front panel comprises a window. 
     
     
         3 . The children play cubicle of  claim 1  further comprising a handle attached to an outer bottom portion of the right side panel. 
     
     
         4 . The children play cubicle of  claim 1  further comprising a storage box disposed on the floor panel. 
     
     
         5 . The children play cubicle of  claim 1  wherein securing each panel to prevent said each panel from accidentally folding inwardly is accomplished by clasping holes located in each flexible strap onto buttons attached onto a top end portion of each adjacent panel. 
     
     
         6 . The children play cubicle of  claim 1  further comprising at least one educational aid adapted for hanging on an inner portion of each of the rear panel, left side panel and right side panel. 
     
     
         7 . The children play cubicle of  claim 6  wherein the educational aid is a chalk board. 
     
     
         8 . The children play cubicle of  claim 6  wherein the educational aid is a paper flip chart. 
     
     
         9 . The children play cubicle of  claim 6  wherein the educational aid is a dry erase board. 
     
     
         10 . The children play cubicle of  claim 6  wherein the educational aid is a painting canvas. 
     
     
         11 . A method to collapse a children play cubicle, said cubicle being adapted for an assembled configuration and a collapsed configuration, said cubicle in the assembled configuration comprising: (a) a rectangular floor panel having a front edge, a rear edge, a left side edge and a right side edge, said floor panel being disposed horizontally on a floor; (b) a rectangular front panel, said front panel being disposed vertically onto and being attached to the front edge of the floor panel, said front panel having an opening for entering and exiting the cubicle; (c) a rectangular rear panel having a left side edge and a right side edge, said rear panel being disposed vertically onto and being attached to the rear edge of the floor panel; (d) a rectangular left side panel being disposed vertically onto and being attached to the left side edge of the floor panel; (e) a rectangular right side panel being disposed vertically onto and being attached to the right side edge of the floor panel, said left side edge of the front panel being disposed substantially flush against an inner portion of a front side edge of the left side panel, said right side edge of the front panel being disposed substantially flush against an inner portion of a front side edge of the right side panel, said left side edge of the rear panel being disposed substantially flush against an inner portion of a rear side edge of the left side panel and said right side edge of the rear panel being disposed substantially flush against an inner portion of a rear side edge of the right side panel; (f) a first internal hinge disposed at a bottom portion of the front panel configured for folding the front panel only inwardly in a manner as to position the front panel substantially horizontally onto the floor panel; (g) a second internal hinge disposed at a bottom portion of the rear panel configured for folding the rear panel only inwardly in a manner as to position the rear panel substantially horizontally onto a folded front panel, said second internal hinge being vertically positioned above the first internal hinge; (h) a third internal hinge disposed at a bottom portion of the left side panel configured for folding the left side panel only inwardly in a manner as to position the left side panel substantially horizontally onto a folded rear panel, said third internal hinge being vertically positioned above the second internal hinge; (i) a fourth internal hinge disposed at a bottom portion of the right side panel configured for folding the right side panel only inwardly in a manner as to position the right side panel substantially horizontally onto a folded left side panel, said fourth internal hinge being vertically positioned above the third internal hinge; (j) a first flexible strap configured for bracing the front panel with the left side panel in the assembled configuration to prevent the front panel and left side panel from unintentionally folding inwardly; (k) a second flexible strap configured for bracing the left side panel with the rear panel in the assembled configuration to prevent the left side panel and rear panel from unintentionally folding inwardly; (l) a third flexible strap configured for securing the front panel to the right side panel in the assembled configuration to prevent the front panel and right side panel from unintentionally folding inwardly; (m) a fourth flexible strap configured for securing the right side panel to the rear panel in the assembled configuration to prevent the right side panel and rear panel from unintentionally folding inwardly; and (n) two flexible straps configured for securing the floor panel to the right side panel of the cubicle in the collapsed configuration, said method comprising:
 unhooking the first flexible strap that secures the front panel to the left side panel;   unhooking the second strap that secures the front panel to the right side panel;   folding the front panel inwardly along the first internal hinge in a manner as to position the front panel substantially horizontally onto the floor panel;   unhooking the third flexible strap that secures the rear panel to the left side panel;   unhooking the strap that secures the rear panel to the right side panel;   while holding the left side panel and right side panel in a vertical position, folding the rear panel inwardly along the second internal hinge in a manner as to position the rear panel substantially horizontally onto the front panel;   while holding the right side panel in a vertical position, folding the left side panel inwardly along the third internal hinge in a manner as to position the left side panel substantially horizontally onto the rear panel;   folding the right side panel inwardly along the fourth internal hinge in a manner as to position the right side panel substantially horizontally onto the left side panel to form a collapsed configuration; and   strapping on the two flexible straps to secure the floor panel to the right side panel of the cubicle in the collapsed configuration.