Whisker trap

Abstract

A whisker trap is a rectangular sheet of semi-rigid material formed to include accordion folds that define a series of at least four pleat panels joined by a series of at least three living hinges. All of the at least three living hinges define respective fold axes that are parallel with each other and oriented perpendicular to the sheet width when the sheet is flat. The whisker trap is movable among a storage configuration, a hair disposal configuration and a deployed configuration. The adjacent pleat panels are collapsed into contact with each other in the storage configuration. The whisker trap is wider in the deployed configuration than in the hair disposal configuration. The deployed configuration includes a continuum of widths responsive to various user set accordion fold angles.

1 . A whisker trap comprising:
 a one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material having a sheet width that is greater than a sheet depth that is greater than a sheet thickness;   the one-piece sheet including accordion folds that define a series of at least four pleat panels joined by a series of at least three living hinges;   each of the pleat panels having a pleat depth that is greater than a pleat width;   all of the at least three living hinges define respective fold axes that are parallel with each other and oriented perpendicular to the sheet width when the one-piece sheet is flat;   wherein each of the living hinges is flanked by a pair of the pleat panels that define a respective living hinge angle;   wherein the whisker trap is movable among a storage configuration, a hair disposal configuration and a deployed configuration;   wherein adjacent pleat panels are collapsed into contact with each other in the storage configuration;   wherein an average of the living hinge angles in the hair disposal configuration is smaller than the average of the living hinge angles in the deployed configuration;   wherein the whisker trap is wider in the deployed configuration than in the hair disposal configuration; and   wherein the deployed configuration includes a continuum of widths.   
     
     
         2 . The whisker trap of  claim 1  wherein the one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material is cardboard. 
     
     
         3 . The whisker trap of  claim 1  wherein the one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material has a top hair collection surface with a smooth glossy hydrophobic finish that is slippery to hair. 
     
     
         4 . The whisker trap of  claim 1  including a jarring impact surface at one of the living hinges on an underside of the one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material in the hair disposal configuration; and
 wherein hair on a top side of the one-piece sheet semi-rigid material is dislodged responsive to the jarring impact surface impacting a rim of a waste can. 
 
     
     
         5 . The whisker trap of  claim 1  wherein the one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material includes four radiused corners with a radius that is less than a width of the pleat panels. 
     
     
         6 . The whisker trap of  claim 1  wherein all of the pleat panels have identical dimensions. 
     
     
         7 . The whisker trap of claim wherein each of the pleat panels has a width of about three inches. 
     
     
         8 . The whisker trap of  claim 1  wherein the sheet width is about thirty inches and the sheet depth is about twenty inches. 
     
     
         9 . The whisker trap of  claim 1  wherein the one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material includes a sink spout contact surface on an underside of the one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material. 
     
     
         10 . The whisker trap of  claim 1  wherein the one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material is corrugated cardboard which includes a flute sandwiched between opposite faces; and
 the flute is collapsed along each of the living hinge axes. 
 
     
     
         11 . The whisker trap of  claim 1  wherein a top hair collection surface is white. 
     
     
         12 . The whisker trap of  claim 1  including a jarring impact surface at one of the living hinges on an underside of the one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material in the hair disposal configuration;
 includes a sink spout contact surface on an underside of the one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material in the deployed configuration; 
 wherein the one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material has a top hair collection surface with a smooth glossy hydrophobic finish that is slippery to hair; and 
 wherein all of the pleat panels have identical dimensions, and each of the pleat panels has a width of about three inches. 
 
     
     
         13 . The whisker trap of  claim 12  wherein the one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material is corrugated cardboard which includes a flute sandwiched between opposite faces; and
 the flute is collapsed along each of the living hinge axes. 
 
     
     
         14 . The whisker trap of  claim 13  wherein the top collection surface is white. 
     
     
         15 . A method of protecting a sink drain from beard trimmings with a whisker trap that includes a one-piece sheet of semi-rigid material having a sheet width that is greater than a sheet depth that is greater than a sheet thickness; the one-piece sheet including accordion folds that define a series of at least four pleat panels joined by a series of at least three living hinges; each of the pleat panels having a pleat depth that is greater than a pleat width; all of the at least three living hinges define respective fold axes that are parallel with each other and oriented perpendicular to the sheet width when the one-piece sheet is flat; wherein each of the living hinges is flanked by a pair of the pleat panels that define a respective living hinge angle; wherein the whisker trap is movable among a storage configuration, a hair disposal configuration and a deployed configuration; wherein adjacent pleat panels are collapsed into contact with each other in the storage configuration; wherein an average of the living hinge angles in the hair disposal configuration is smaller than the average of the living hinge angles in the deployed configuration; wherein the whisker trap is wider in the deployed configuration than in the hair disposal configuration; and wherein the deployed configuration includes a continuum of widths, and the method comprises the steps of:
 moving the whisker trap from the storage configuration toward the deployed configuration;   positioning the whisker trap in the deployed configuration covering a sink drain of a sink;   leaning over the whisker trap and trimming a beard while the trimmings fall onto the whisker trap;   moving the whisker trap away from the sink;   moving the whisker trap from the deployed configuration toward the hair disposal configuration;   positioning one end of the whisker trap over a waste can in the hair disposal configuration;   dislodging the trimmings to slide off the end of the whisker trap into the waste can responsive to impacting a jarring impact surface at one of the living hinges in the hair disposal configuration on a rim of the waste can; and   moving the whisker trap back to the storage configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  including adjusting the whisker trap among a continuum of widths in the deployed configuration covering the sink drain. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of positioning the whisker trap in the deployed configuration covering a sink drain includes resting an underside of the whisker trap in contact with, and covering, a sink spout.