Foldable sealing container apparatus

Abstract

A storage, shipping or instant usage, for food consumption or the like, containment system formed from one sheet of material or combination of materials, wherein the walls thereof fold onto a base to lay flat. The walls are disposed to fold onto the base, out from the base, or onto adjacent folded walls. Further, the folded walls contain a mechanism to stabilize said walls during usage in a box form.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container system comprising:
 at least two folding wall members;   a set of adjacent wall members;   a set of hinge members;   a base member wherein the set of hinges is in communication with base member and the set of folding wall members, wherein each individual in the set of folding wall members comprises at least two hinge members and wherein the folding wall members are disposed to fold inward or outward as a result of at least two hinge members within each individual wall of the folding wall members and wherein the base, the at least two folding wall members, and the set of adjacent wall members feature a contiguous construction   
     
     
         2 . The container system of  claim 1  wherein each individual of the set of hinge members located in an individual wall in the set of folding walls extend from the edge connected to the base to the top of the wall and wherein each of the set of hinge members within each of the folding walls originates at the corner of the box. 
     
     
         3 . The container system of  claim 2  further comprising a set of inter-wall hinges disposed at an appropriate angle to the base that when folded, the walls lay flat onto the base or onto the adjacent wall which is on the base and wherein if the opposite walls with hinges within fold out the adjacent walls lay flat on the base. 
     
     
         4 . A foldable enclosure system comprising:
 a box apparatus comprising:
 a base portion; 
 at least four wall portions; and, 
   a cover mechanism in mechanical communication with the box apparatus, wherein the side walls fold inward and between the base and the cover mechanism.   
     
     
         5 . The foldable enclosure system of  claim 4  further comprising a panel member where the panel member is attached to the box apparatus on an outer surface of an individual wall portion of the at least four wall portions wall at a midpoint in the outer surface of the individual wall portion; and wherein the panel member is rotatably disposed to allow upward or downward movement of the cover mechanism for proper to fit onto box apparatus in the closed or open position. 
     
     
         6 . The foldable enclosure system of  claim 4  wherein the cover mechanism comprises at least three side walls in hinged communication with the cover mechanism and wherein an at least one individual of the at least three side walls is divided into a set of three individual panels in hinged communication wherein the set of three individual panels in hinged communication are disposed to collapse, either inwardly or outwardly, to allow the at least four wall portions to collapse flat onto the cover mechanism and wherein the side walls are raised to open the box apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The foldable enclosure system of  claim 4  further comprising at least two internally disposed panels and wherein at least two of the at least three side walls is divided into a set of three individual panels in hinged communication and wherein an individual of the at least two internal panels is attached to a center panel such that the individual of the at least two internally disposed panels moves in conjunction with the at least three side walls during opening and closing of box apparatus and wherein the individual of the at least two internal panels and the center panel comprise a retaining system selected from the group consisting of Velcro®, snaps, adhesive, clips, inserts, reversible glue and glue. 
     
     
         8 . A storage and containment system comprising:
 a foldable box; and,   a foldable cover attached to the foldable box, wherein the foldable box comprises a hinged base, a set of at least four side walls and at least two internal walls, wherein at least two side walls in the set of at least four side walls comprise three panels, a left panel, a center panel and a right panel wherein the internal walls are attached to the center panel and reversibly attached to the outer adjacent panels to stabilize the set of at least four side walls.   
     
     
         9 . The storage and containment system of  claim 8  wherein the foldable cover seals onto the foldable box by the attachment mechanism selected from the group consisting of an internal adhesive layer, snaps, clips, Ziplock®, glue, and reversible fugitive glue. 
     
     
         10 . The storage and containment system of  claim 8  wherein the foldable cover comprises a split cover in hinged communication with the set of side walls wherein the split cover is disposed in a flat manner on an upper edge of the set of side walls in the open position and the split cover is disposed parallel to the uppermost of the set of side walls when the foldable box is in a closed position. 
     
     
         11 . The storage and containment system of  claim 9  wherein the split cover comprises a retaining mechanism selected from the group consisting of pre-applied adhesives, snaps, tongue and groove mechanisms, and seals and wherein the split covers comprise side members to cover the outsides of foldable box wherein an individual of the side members is disposed to overlap an subsequent individual of the side members to provide strength and enhanced sealing. 
     
     
         12 . The storage and containment system of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a snap bar apparatus comprising a bar and at least two end snaps; and, 
 a receiving slot disposed within the center panel wherein the snap bar apparatus fits securely into the receiving slot and wherein the at least two snap ends removably retain the outer panels and unsnap to allow rotation of outer panels. 
 
     
     
         13 . The storage and containment system of  claim 8  further comprising:
 at least two static wall members; 
 at least two dynamic wall members, each comprising a three panel construction; and, 
 an internal panel comprising at least two tapered sections, wherein the internal panel is connected to side wall at the center panel and disposed to rotate up and down as the storage and containment system is opened and closed. 
 
     
     
         14 . The storage and containment system of  claim 13  further wherein each individual of the at least two dynamic wall members comprises a recessed area disposed to allow for the placement of the internal panel to be flush with the side wall and wherein the internal panel comprises a retaining mechanism selected from the group consisting of Velcro®, snaps, adhesive, clips, inserts, reversible glue, and glue, and are disposed to snap into position with just the outer edge engaging the matching recessed wall in the at least two dynamic wall members. 
     
     
         15 . The storage and containment system of  claim 13  wherein the side walls are disposed to collapse inwardly and wherein the height of the at least two static wall members and the height of the at least two dynamic wall members is limited to half the size of the length dimension of the base member. 
     
     
         16 . The storage and containment system of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a cover mechanism; 
 a first outer panel; 
 a second outer panel; and, 
 a set of three panel side walls; wherein the cover mechanism is attached to the first outer panel; and wherein the first outer panel and the second outer panel are attached to the set of three panel side walls at a center panel of the set of three panel side walls such that when the three panel side walls are pressed outward, the first outer panel and the second outer panel unsnap allowing the storage and containment system to fold flat. 
 
     
     
         17 . A folding box system comprising:
 a base;   at least two outside panels;   a proximal side wall comprising:
 a center panel; and, 
 at least two outer panels; 
   a distal side wall comprising:
 a center panel; and, 
 at least two outer panels; 
 at least two median side walls; wherein the at least two outside panels are connected to the center panels of the proximal side wall and the distal side walls respectively and move integrally with the center panel of the proximal side wall and the center panel of the distal side wall respectively and wherein the at least two outer panels of the proximal side wall and the two outer panels of the distal side wall are hinged to the center panel of the proximal side wall and the center panel of the distal side wall respectively and hinged to at least two median side walls and wherein the proximal side wall and distal side wall are hinged to the base such that all walls form a solid box. 
   
     
     
         18 . The folding box system of  claim 17  further comprising:
 a set of retaining mechanisms locate on an upper portion of an inner side of the at least two outside panels; and, 
 a set of retaining mechanisms locate on an upper portion of an outer side of the at least two outer panels of the proximal side wall and an upper portion of an outer side of the at least two outer panels of the distal side wall; wherein as the side walls are raised to form a box, the at least two outside panels are disposed to move closer to the at least two outer panels of the proximal side wall and the at least two outer panels of the distal side wall such that the retaining mechanisms mate. 
 
     
     
         19 . A folding food containment apparatus comprising:
 at least four trapezoidal side wall members; and,   a base member; wherein the at least four trapezoidal side wall members diverge as the at least four trapezoidal side wall members approach an upper portion of the folding food containment apparatus and wherein the at least four trapezoidal side wall members comprises hinges to unfold open and form walls at an angle greater that ninety degrees in relation to the base member.   
     
     
         20 . The folding food containment apparatus of  claim 19  further comprising:
 a snap bar apparatus comprising a bar and at least two end snaps; and, 
 a receiving slot disposed within at least two of the at least four trapezoidal side wall members wherein the snap bar apparatus fits securely into the receiving slot and wherein the at least two snap ends. 
 
     
     
         21 . A collapsible container, comprising:
 a substantially equilateral base portion;   a substantially rectangular front wall in communication with the substantially equilateral base portion via a front hinge, wherein the substantially rectangular front wall comprises a v-shaped hinge; wherein the v-shaped hinge allows the substantially rectangular front wall two fold in two degrees of freedom; wherein the substantially rectangular front wall further comprises at least two externally disposed affixing mechanisms mounted on an upper portion of the substantially rectangular front wall;   a substantially rectangular rear wall in communication with the substantially equilateral base portion via a rear hinge, wherein the substantially rectangular rear wall comprises an inverse v-shaped hinge; wherein the inverse v-shaped hinge allows the substantially rectangular rear wall two fold in two degrees of freedom; wherein the substantially rectangular front wall further comprises at least two externally disposed affixing mechanisms mounted on an upper portion of the substantially rectangular rear wall;   a first substantially rectangular non-folding side wall in hinged communication with the substantially equilateral base portion, comprising a proximal end and a distal end; wherein the proximal end is in hinged communication with the substantially rectangular front wall and wherein the distal end is in hinged communication with the substantially rectangular end wall;   a second substantially rectangular non-folding side wall in hinged communication with the substantially equilateral base portion, comprising a proximal end and a distal end; wherein the proximal end is in hinged communication with the substantially rectangular front wall and wherein the distal end is in hinged communication with the substantially rectangular end wall;   a substantially rectangular front support member in hinged communication with the substantially equilateral base portion; wherein the substantially rectangular front support member comprises a length and a width equal to the length and the width of the substantially rectangular front wall; and wherein the substantially rectangular front support member comprises at least two internally disposed affixing mechanisms mounted on an upper portion of the substantially rectangular front support member; wherein the at least two internally disposed affixing mechanisms are disposed to removably mate with the at least two externally disposed affixing mechanisms mounted on an upper portion of the substantially rectangular front wall;   a substantially rectangular rear support member in hinged communication with the substantially equilateral base portion; wherein the substantially rectangular rear support member comprises a length and a width equal to the length and the width of the substantially rectangular rear wall; and wherein the substantially rectangular rear support member comprises at least two internally disposed affixing mechanisms mounted on an upper portion of the substantially rectangular rear support member, wherein the at least two internally disposed affixing mechanisms are disposed to removably mate with the at least two externally disposed affixing mechanisms mounted on an upper portion of the substantially rectangular rear wall;   wherein when the substantially rectangular front support member support and the substantially rectangular rear support member are mated with the substantially rectangular front wall and the substantially rectangular rear wall, respectively, a void is formed on the upper edges of the substantially rectangular front wall, substantially rectangular rear wall; and,   a cover apparatus comprising at least four members wherein the cover apparatus is attached to at least one wall selected from the group consisting of the substantially rectangular front wall and the substantially rectangular front wall.