Cover contained foldable container apparatus

Abstract

A sheet of material or combination of materials formed as a container system which when folded fits into a cover mechanism for easy storage. Container walls fold onto the container base to lay flat either on the base or on adjacent folded walls folded onto the base. A system of hinges, in some embodiments living hinges, afford complete foldability into the cover mechanism. A support bar system and mechanism to be used in conjunction with the container system wherein the proximal portion and the distal portion each comprise at least one extension for interlocking to prevent the container system from collapsing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A folding box system comprising:
 a container mechanism, wherein the container mechanism further comprises:
 a base member; 
 at least two opposingly disposed dynamic side walls in a hinged communication with the base member comprising:
 a set of panels; and, 
 a set of side hinges; 
 
 at least two opposingly disposed static side walls in a lower hinged communication with the base member and in side communication with the at least two opposingly disposed dynamic side walls; and 
 a rim, wherein the rim snaps onto a top of the container mechanism to stabilize the set of panels to prevent collapsing; 
 a cover, wherein the cover is disposed to snap onto the rim; and 
 wherein a set of dimensions of the folded container mechanism are approximately the same size or smaller than the cover to enable the folded container mechanism to be placed inside the cover. 
   
     
     
         2 . The folding box system of  claim 1  wherein the cover mechanism fits over and encloses the rim mechanism to seal the folding box. 
     
     
         3 . The folding box system of  claim 1 , wherein the base member further comprises a snap component which is disposed to accept a snap component of a cover panel to provide reversible retention to the folding box system. 
     
     
         4 . The folding box system of  claim 1  further comprising a combined Velcro® and snap mechanism for added retention, wherein a snap is voluntarily engaged or kept in an open position to create a more secure attachment and in order for the container mechanism to collapse, the snap will have to be intentionally unsnapped and then the Velcro® disengaged. 
     
     
         5 . The folding box system of  claim 1 , wherein the folded container mechanism is secured inside the cover through a snapping action selected from the group consisting of: a plurality of undercut corners in the cover, snaps, undercuts in the total periphery of the cover and clips. 
     
     
         6 . The folding box system of  claim 1 ,
 a dividing seam; and,   a rim mechanism;   wherein the set of side hinges comprises a set of living hinges.   
     
     
         7 . The folding box system of  claim 6  wherein the hinges at the junction of each wall and the base combine with the side hinges to collapse the side walls onto the base. 
     
     
         8 . The folding box system of  claim 6  wherein the angle of the hinges to the base varies based upon the width to height ratio of the at least two opposingly disposed static side walls and the at least two opposingly disposed dynamic side walls. 
     
     
         9 . The folding box system of  claim 6  wherein the angle of the hinges to base is less than ninety degrees and greater than zero degrees and angled toward the center of the wall as it goes up to the top edge of a wall from the base. 
     
     
         10 . A folding container system comprising:
 an upper portion;   a lower portion;   a base member;   a set of folding walls comprising a set of panels including a set of hinge mechanisms, wherein the folding walls are disposed to collapse when pressed inward toward the center of the lower portion and the adjacent side walls fold inward and collapse to the center; and,   a rim device in mechanical communication with the upper portion stabilize the panels and to prevent collapsing;   a cover, wherein the cover is disposed to snap onto the rim device; and   wherein the final dimensions of the folded container mechanism are approximately the same size or smaller than the cover to enable to the folded container mechanism to be placed inside the cover.   
     
     
         11 . The folding container system of  claim 10  wherein the set of hinge mechanisms comprises a set of living hinges. 
     
     
         12 . The folding container system of  claim 10  wherein the folded container is retained within the cover device by a force application system selected from the group consisting of friction, Velcro®, snaps, adhesives and reversible connection. 
     
     
         13 . The folding container system of  claim 10  wherein the cover comprises a handle mechanism for removal of the cover while the rim device remains in communication with the wall. 
     
     
         14 . The folding container system of  claim 13  wherein the rim device comprises a handle in communication with the cover device such that when the handle is pulled, the cover device and rim device are removed simultaneously. 
     
     
         15 . The folding container system of  claim 10  wherein the folding walls comprise at least four female snap receiving mechanisms, wherein the rim device comprises at least four female snap receiving mechanisms and at least four male snap mechanisms; and, the cover device comprises at least four male snap mechanisms; wherein, the rim device is snapped in cover device and the Cover device and the rim device are snapped onto folding walls. 
     
     
         16 . The folding container system of  claim 10  wherein a lower portion of the rim comprises a flat area and the upper portions of the walls comprise a flat area and wherein the flat are of the lower portion of the rim engages the flat area of the walls in order to create friction which blocks removal and wherein the rim remains attached to the wall when the cover is removed. 
     
     
         17 . The folding container system of  claim 10 , wherein the base member further comprises a snap component which is disposed to accept a snap component of a cover panel to provide reversible retention to the folding container system. 
     
     
         18 . The folding container system of  claim 10  further comprising a combined Velcro® and snap mechanism for added retention, wherein a snap is voluntarily engaged or kept in an open position to create a more secure attachment and in order for the box to collapse, the snap will have to be intentionally unsnapped and then the Velcro® disengaged. 
     
     
         19 . A folding containment mechanism wherein the folding containment mechanism is fully containable within a cover comprising:
 at least four side walls comprising:
 at least two non-folding side walls; and 
 at least two folding walls, wherein each of the at least two folding walls comprises:
 at least four panels; and 
 at least three living hinges, wherein at least one of the at least four panels extends the full width of an individual of the at least two folding walls and wherein the at least one of the at least four panels which extends the full width of an individual of the at least two folding walls is hingedly attached so as to fold into the interior of the folding containment mechanism; 
 
   a cover, wherein the cover is disposed to snap onto the rim; and   wherein the final dimensions of the folded container mechanism are approximately the same size or smaller than the cover to enable the folded container mechanism to be placed inside the cover.   
     
     
         20 . The folding containment mechanism of  claim 19  wherein the living hinges fold inwardly to the center of the container and wherein the living hinges are folded on the living hinge that corresponds with the at least one of the at least four panels that extends the full width of an individual of the at least two folding walls to prevents folding of wall which prevents collapsing. 
     
     
         21 . The folding containment mechanism of  claim 20  wherein the at least two non-folding side walls comprise snap mechanisms comprising an incline and snap to hold the at least one of the at least four panels that extends the full width of an individual of the at least two folding walls against the corresponding wall when folded on living hinge. 
     
     
         22 . The folding mechanism of  claim 21 , further comprising a bar support system, wherein the bar support system is attached to the top of at least two folding hinged walls and comprises two interlocking bar members to prevent the box collapsing. 
     
     
         23 . The folding mechanism of  claim 22  wherein the bar support system comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion wherein the proximal portion is attached on an outside panel and the distal portion bar is attached to an opposing outside panel. 
     
     
         24 . The folding mechanism of  claim 19  wherein the proximal portion comprises at least one proximal extension mechanism and the distal portion comprises at least one distal extension mechanism wherein the at least one proximal extension mechanism and the at least one distal extension mechanism are in interlocking or snapping communication to prevent the folding mechanism collapsing. 
     
     
         25 . The folding box system of  claim 19  further comprising a combined Velcro® and snap mechanism for added retention, wherein a snap is voluntarily engaged or kept in an open position to create a more secure attachment and in order for the box to collapse, the snap will have to be intentionally unsnapped and then the Velcro® disengaged.