Method and Apparatus for Collateral Use of Bottle Packaging

Abstract

In a box system for storing bottles therein that includes a box, at least one longitudinal divider sheet and at least one latitudinal divider sheet. The divider sheets are divided into a plurality of coaster units. Each coaster unit is printed with collateral branding indicia. The coaster units are separated by visually perceptible separation lines, which may be perforated to facilitate separation of the coaster units so that when the coaster units are separated they are usable as drink coasters. The box may also be printed with coaster units.

1 . A box system for storing bottles therein, comprising:
 (a) a box;   (b) at least one longitudinal bottle divider sheet disposed within the box, the at least one longitudinal divider sheet divided into a plurality of coaster units, each coaster unit adjacent to at least two other coaster units and separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit has a substantially rectangular shape so that substantially all of each longitudinal divider sheet is separable into substantially equally sized coaster units and so that each coaster unit is usable as a drink coaster, the at least one longitudinal divider sheet having a top edge, a height and defining at least one elongated vertical opening extending downwardly from the top edge to at least half the height of the longitudinal divider sheet; and   (c) at least one latitudinal bottle divider sheet disposed within the box, the at least one latitudinal divider sheet divided into a plurality of coaster units, each coaster unit adjacent to at least two other coaster units and separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit has a substantially rectangular shape so that substantially all of each latitudinal divider sheet is separable into substantially equally sized coaster units and so that each coaster unit is usable as a drink coaster, the at least one latitudinal divider sheet having a bottom edge, a height and defining at least one elongated vertical opening extending upwardly from the bottom edge to at least half the height of the latitudinal divider sheet, wherein the elongated vertical opening defined by the at least one latitudinal divider sheet is slid about the at least one corresponding longitudinal divider sheet and the elongated vertical opening defined by the at least one longitudinal divider sheet is slid about the at least one corresponding latitudinal divider sheet so that the at least one longitudinal divider sheet and the at least one latitudinal divider sheet are interleaved so as to define an array of prismatic voids configured to receive bottles therein.   
     
     
         2 . The box system of  claim 1 , wherein the separation lines of both the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets comprise perforations to facilitate separation of the coaster units. 
     
     
         3 . The box system of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets comprise high grammage paperboard. 
     
     
         4 . The box system of  claim 1 , further comprising indicia printed on each coaster unit. 
     
     
         5 . The box system of  claim 1 , wherein coaster unit images are printed on at least a portion of the box. 
     
     
         6 . The box system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the box includes instructions printed thereon alerting users to the reusability of the divider sheets as coaster units and providing instructions for separating the coaster units. 
     
     
         7 . A bottle storage box system, comprising:
 (a) a box including a bottom, a top and at least four vertical walls, at least one of the vertical walls divided into a plurality of coaster units, each coaster unit adjacent to at least two other coaster units and separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit is usable as a drink coaster;   (b) a plurality of longitudinal bottle divider sheets disposed within the box, each longitudinal divider sheet comprising high grammage paperboard and divided into a plurality of coaster units, each coaster unit adjacent to at least two other coaster units and separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit has a substantially rectangular shape and is usable as a drink coaster and so that substantially the entire divider sheet is separable into drink coaster units, each longitudinal divider sheet having a top edge, a height and defining at least one elongated vertical opening extending downwardly from the top edge to at least half the height of the longitudinal divider sheet; and   (c) a plurality of latitudinal bottle divider sheets disposed within the box, each latitudinal divider sheet comprising high grammage paperboard and divided into a plurality of coaster units, each coaster unit adjacent to at least two other coaster units and separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit has a substantially rectangular shape and is usable as a drink coaster and so that substantially the entire divider sheet is separable into drink coaster units, each latitudinal divider sheet having a bottom edge, a height and defining at least one elongated vertical opening extending upwardly from the bottom edge to at least half the height of the latitudinal divider sheet,   wherein the elongated vertical openings defined by each latitudinal divider sheet are slid about corresponding longitudinal divider sheets and the elongated vertical openings defined by each longitudinal divider sheet are slid about corresponding latitudinal divider sheets so that the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets are interleaved so as to define an array of prismatic voids configured to receive bottles therein, wherein the separation lines of both the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets comprise perforations to facilitate separation of the coaster units.   
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The bottle storage box system of  claim 7 , further comprising indicia printed on each coaster unit. 
     
     
         11 . The bottle storage box system of  claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the box includes instructions printed thereon alerting users to the reusability of the divider sheets as coaster units and providing instructions for separating the coaster units. 
     
     
         12 . A method of making reusable box components, comprising:
 (a) printing a plurality of coaster unit indicia on box divider sheets;   (b) perforating each box divider sheet along a plurality of straight lines to facilitate separation of portions of the divider sheets into substantially rectangular coaster units so that substantially each entire divider sheet is separable into drink coaster units;   (c) cutting vertical openings in the divider sheets to facilitate interleaving of divider sheets such that the divider sheets define prismatic voids configured to receive bottles therein when the divider sheets are interleaved; and   (d) placing the divider sheets in a box in an interleaved arrangement.   
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of selecting high grammage paperboard as a material for the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of printing coaster unit images on at least a portion of the box. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of printing instructions on at least a portion of the box that alert users to the reusability of the divider sheets as coaster units and providing instructions for separating the coaster units. 
     
     
         17 . The box system of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets include a material selected from a list consisting of: corrugated cardboard, sheet cardboard, pulpboard, sheet cork, sheet plastic, multi-ply napkin paper and laminated paper. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of selecting a material for the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets from a list of materials consisting of: corrugated cardboard, sheet cardboard, pulpboard, sheet cork, sheet plastic, multi-ply napkin paper and laminated paper. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of selecting a material for the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets from a list of materials consisting of: corrugated cardboard, sheet cardboard, pulpboard, sheet cork, sheet plastic, multi-ply napkin paper and laminated paper. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the printing step comprises printing advertising indicia on the divider sheets within areas defined by the caster units.