Hardwood charcoal cartridge

Abstract

The inventive cartridge comprises a container having a height, a width and a depth for defining a volume. A cap is formed from a portion of a top portion of the container, and extends downwardly from the top of the container. A hinge portion joins the cap to the remaining portion of the top portion of the container. A quantity of hardwood charcoal is contained within the container.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal, comprising:
 (a) a container defining a volume, the container having a height, a width and a depth;   (b) a cap formed from a portion of a top portion of the container, and extending downwardly from the top of the container;   (c) a hinge portion joining the cap to the remaining portion of the top portion of the container; and   (d) a quantity of hardwood charcoal contained within the container.   
     
     
         2 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 1 , wherein the container is a rectangular solid defined by a top surface, a bottom surface, a right side surface, a left side surface, a front surface, and a rear surface. 
     
     
         3 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 2 , wherein the container is made of corrugated cardboard with the corrugations oriented to extend from the bottom to the top of the container, the top being formed from extensions of the corrugated cardboard forming the right side surface and the left side surface, whereby the corrugations forming the top are oriented extending from the right side surface to the left side surface. 
     
     
         4 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 3 , wherein the hinge portion bends along a path substantially aligned with the corrugations in the corrugated cardboard forming the top. 
     
     
         5 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 4 , wherein the extensions of the corrugated cardboard forming the right side surface and the left side surface overlie each other, and an extension of the front surface extends between the top of the front surface and the hinge portion. 
     
     
         6 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 5 , wherein height varies between 10 inches and 18 inches, depth varies between 10 inches and 18 inches, and width varies in the range of 7 inches to 9 inches. 
     
     
         7 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 6 , wherein the ratio of the sum of the height and width to the depth is in the range between 1 and 2. 
     
     
         8 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 1 , wherein height varies between 10 inches and 18 inches, depth varies between 10 inches and 18 inches, and width varies in the range of 7 inches to 9 inches. 
     
     
         9 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 8 , wherein the ratio of the sum of the height and width to the depth is in the range between 1.25 and 1.95. 
     
     
         10 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 9 , wherein the ratio of the sum of the height and width to the depth is in the range between 1.7 and 1.8. 
     
     
         11 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the sum of the height and width to the depth is in the range between 1.2 and 1.7. 
     
     
         12 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 1 , wherein the cap is defined by a perforated path in the in the container, the perforated path extending partially around the periphery of the cap, the perforated path extending from a beginning point to an ending point and wherein the hinge portion extends between the beginning point and the ending point. 
     
     
         13 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 1 , wherein the container is a rectangular solid defined by a top surface, a bottom surface, a right side surface, a left side surface, a front surface, and a rear surface, the cap comprising a) a roughly triangular member integral with said left side surface and separated from the remaining portion of said left side surface by perforations, b) a roughly triangular member integral with said right side surface and separated from the remaining portion of said right side surface by perforations, c) a roughly rectangular member integral with said top surface and separated from the remaining portion of said top surface by said hinge portion, and d) a roughly rectangular member integral with said front surface and separated from the remaining portion of said front surface by perforations. 
     
     
         14 . A cartridge for transporting, storing and dispensing hardwood charcoal as in  claim 1 , wherein said cap defines a depressible finger cutout.