Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PACKAGE FOR VERTICAL RECEIVING
TECHNICAL FIELD
[1] The present invention relates to a package for vertical storage, which
allows
various types of objects, such as clothes or foods to be stored in a
refrigerator, to be stored while
put in an upright position in substantially the same standard and in a volume
compressed at a
predetermined level, leading to maximized storage efficiency and easy
discovery of the object, as
well as allowing the objects to remain organized even when one is pulled out.
BACKGROUND ART
[2] A popular way for organizing clothes is so-called "horizontal
organizing" by
which clothes are folded and laid one over another in a horizontal position in
a drawer or on the
shelf of a wardrobe. However, such horizontal organizing is not a convenient
approach from a
perspective of finding a desired one of the stored clothes and may spoil the
organized
arrangement of clothes after pulling out one positioned deep inside the
clothes pile.
[3] As contrasted to horizontal organizing, vertical organizing provides
the benefit of
easy discovery but requires installation of stationary or movable partitions
in the drawer or use of
a separate container in order to keep the clothes of different sizes or shapes
in a stabilized
position. Thus, such conventional vertical organizing is not only uneconomical
but reduces the
storage room as well.
[4] To address the above issues, Korean Patent Application Publication No.
10-2012-
0130878 discloses a "vertical organizing tool for drawer," and Korean Utility
Model Application
Publication No. 20-2011-0004690 discloses a "package for storing clothes."
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[5] The conventional vertical organizing tool requires a space for
installing the same
and deteriorates the appearance inside the drawer. Further, the conventional
package for storing
clothes fails to allow each piece of clothes to individually fold and stand in
a predetermined size
or shape and cannot thus provide vertical storage in the drawer.
[6] [PRIOR TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS]
[7] [PATENT DOCUMENTS]
[8] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2012-
0130878 (published on December 4, 2012), titled "vertical organizer for
dresser"
[9]
(Patent Document 2) Korean Utility Model Application Publication No. 20-2011-
0004690 (published on June 12, 2011), titled "package for storing clothes"
SUMMARY
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED
[10] The present invention has been conceived to address the above problems,
and an
object of the present invention is to provide a means for vertical storage of
various objects
including clothes or food preserved in a refrigerator, which may allow objects
of various sizes or
shapes to be packed and stored in a substantially constant standard so that
the object may stably
remain in an upright position, may protect the object against contaminations,
and may prevent
spoilage of the organized arrangement even when some of the objects stored are
pulled out.
SOLUTIONS
[11] To achieve the above object, according to an embodiment of the present
invention,
there is provided a package for vertical storage, comprising a rear portion
and front portions
formed of a soft resin, such as vinyl, or an elastic material, such as unwoven
fabric or net, to
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cover various objects, such as clothes or foods preserved in a refrigerator,
at a predetermined
width and thickness and standing the objects, hinge portions that may be
folded or unfolded and
that are provided between the rear portion and the front portions, a hard
reinforcing sheet
provided at, at least, one of the rear portion and the front portions to
maintain the upright
position, and a fastener fastening the object in the rear portion or the front
portions while the
object is wrapped.
[12] Preferably, the front portions, rear portion, and hinge portions of the
package are
formed of a transparent or see-through material, such as a net, or in the form
of having a window
or hole so that the packed object may be easily identified from outside.
[13] In a preferred embodiment, the rear portion, the front portions, and the
hinge
portions may be integrally formed with one another. A reinforcing sheet may be
attached to at
least one or both of the rear portion or the front portions through thermal or
high-frequency
bonding or an adhesive in order to keep in shape, or the rear portion and the
front portions may
be formed in a dual structure where the reinforcing sheet may be inserted.
[14] Preferably, the reinforcing sheet may be formed of a resin film or stiff
paper with
a predetermined thickness, and when made thin to save materials, reinforcing
ribs may be formed
to keep in shape further stably.
[15] More preferably, an anti-slip structure may be further provided inside
the package
to prevent, e.g., clothes, from being easily pulled out. The anti-slip
structure may be formed of
rubber, sponge, or a silicone pad with high surface friction.
[16] According to the present invention, the rear portion and the front
portions may be
formed of the same material, and the hinge portions may be formed of a
different material with
high elasticity so as to be compatible with various objects with different
sizes and volumes.
[17] According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is
provided a
package for vertical storage, comprising a rear portion and front portions
covering an object,
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such as a piece of clothes, at a predetermined width and thickness and
standing the object and
foldable hinge portions provided between the rear portion and the front
portions, wherein the rear
portion and the front portions are formed of a hard plastic sheet to keep the
package in an upright
position, and wherein a fastener is provided in the rear portion or the front
portion to fasten the
object in a wrapped state.
[18] According to still another embodiment of the present invention, there is
provided
package for vertical storage, comprising front portions formed of a soft vinyl
sheet and attached
to left and right sides, respectively, of a rear portion formed of a hard
plastic sheet to cover an
object, such as a piece of clothes or food preserved in a refrigerator, at a
predetermined width
and thickness and standing the object, wherein a separate reinforcing sheet is
provided to be
inserted into an inside of the front portions to pressurize the object when
the object is received,
and wherein a fastener provided in the rear portion or the front portion to
fasten the object in a
wrapped state.
EFFECTS
[19] Use of the package for vertical storage according to embodiments of the
present
invention may allow clothes, foods, or other objects to be packed at a
substantially even width
and stored in an upright position. Thus, the object may stably remain in an
upright position and
may be prevented from spoilage of the organized arrangement. Further, various
objects may be
stored neatly in substantially the same standard. Thus, a desired object may
be quickly
discovered, and even when pulled out, the remaining objects may remain
organized, eliminating
the need of reorganizing. Further, the object is packed, shrunken at a
predetermined level,
allowing more space for storage to be secured.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[20] Fig. 1 is an expanded perspective view illustrating a package for
vertical storage
according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[21] Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the package of Fig. 1 is
folded;
[22] Fig. 3 illustrates an example in which a piece of clothes is packed in
the package
of Fig. 1;
[23] Fig. 4 illustrates an example in which packages are vertically stored in
a drawer;
[24] Fig. 5 illustrates an example in which packages are vertically stored in
a
refrigerator;
[25] Fig. 6 is an expanded perspective view illustrating a package for
vertical storage
according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
[26] Fig. 7 is an expanded perspective view illustrating a package for
vertical storage
according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
[27] Fig. 8 is an expanded perspective view illustrating a package for
vertical storage
according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
[28] Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a package for vertical storage
according to
a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
[29] Fig. 10 illustrates an example in which clothes are vertically stored on
a shelf in a
wardrobe using packages according to the present invention;
[30] Fig. 11 is an expanded perspective view illustrating a package for
vertical storage
according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;
[31] Fig. 12 is a perspective view illustrating the package for vertical
storage as shown
in Fig. 11 is folded;
[32] Fig. 13 is an expanded perspective view illustrating a package for
vertical storage
according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;
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[33] Fig. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the package for vertical
storage as shown
in Fig. 13 is folded;
[34] Fig. 15 is an expanded perspective view illustrating a package for
vertical storage
according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention;
[35] Fig. 16 is a perspective view illustrating the package for vertical
storage as shown
in Fig. 15 is folded; and
[36] Fig. 17 is a perspective view illustrating a reinforcing sheet in a
lattice frame
shape.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[37] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments are described in detail with reference
to the
accompanying drawings, without limiting the present invention.
[38] Figs. 1 to 4 illustrate a package for vertical storage according to a
first
embodiment of the present invention.
[39] As shown in the drawings, the package 100 according to this embodiment
includes a rear portion 110 and front portions 120 and 130 formed of a soft
resin material, such
as transparent vinyl, and standing a to-be-packed object, such as clothes,
various meats, or
chopped garlic or other seasonings or spices which are stored in a
refrigerator, while covering the
object at a predetermined width and thickness, foldable hinge portions 140 and
150 between the
rear portion 110 and the front portions 120 and 130, hard reinforcing sheets
160 provided in the
rear portion 110 and the front portions 120 and 130 to allow the package 100
to maintain an
upright position, and a detachable fastener 170 provided on an inner side of
the front portion 120.
[40] In this embodiment, the rear portion 110, front portions 120 and 130, and
hinge
portions 140 and 150 of the package 100 may be formed of a soft transparent
vinyl material so
that the wrapped object may be easily identified with the naked eye from
outside.
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[41] In the instant embodiment, the rear portion 110, the front portions 120
and 130,
and the hinge portions 140 and 150 are formed in a single body. The
reinforcing sheets 160 are
inserted in the rear portion 110 and the front portions 120 and 130 to keep in
shape. In this
embodiment, the rear portion 110 and the front portions 120 and 130 are formed
in a dual
structure, and the edges of the rear portion 110 and the front portions 120
and 130 remain joined
by thermal or high frequency bonding.
[42] In this embodiment, an inner surface of the rear portion 110 and the
front portions
120 and 130 has an opened side through which the reinforcing sheet 160 may be
inserted or
pulled out. The reinforcing sheet 160 is formed of a resin film including an
anti-static vinyl of a
predetermined thickness. In the case the reinforcing sheet 160 is made thin to
save materials,
reinforcing ribs are formed in the reinforcing sheet 160 itself in horizontal
and vertical directions,
allowing it to remain in a stable shape.
[43] According to the present invention, the sum of the horizontal width of
the left
front portion 130 and the horizontal width of the right front portion 120 is
formed to be not
smaller than the horizontal width of the rear portion 110, and the horizontal
width of the left
front portion is formed to be not larger or identical to the difference
between the horizontal width
of the rear portion and the horizontal width (thickness) of the hinge portion.
In this embodiment,
the horizontal width of the left front portion 130 is about 2/3 of the
horizontal width of the rear
portion 110, and the horizontal width of the right front portion 120 is about
1/2 of the horizontal
width of the rear portion 110. The thickness of the hinge portion 150 formed
between the rear
portion 110 and the right front portion 120 is about 1/3 of the horizontal
width of the rear portion
110.
[44] Meanwhile, the horizontal width (thickness) of the hinge portion 140 at
the side of
the right front portion 120 is the same as the horizontal width (thickness) of
the left hinge portion
150.
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[45] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a folding process of
a vinyl
or hard film or various types and materials for flexible folding and unfolding
may apply to the
hinge portions 140 and 150.
[46] In this embodiment, the right front portion 120 and the left front
portion 130 have
different horizontal widths from each other so that, when the object is
wrapped, the relatively
wide left front portion 130 is positioned inside, the right front portion 120
is laid over the left
front portion 130, and the fastener 170 is then attached to the surface of the
left front portion 130
while pulled by a proper strength of tension. Thereby, even a thin object is
firmly held inside the
package 100 and is prevented from sliding down.
[47] Further, in this embodiment, the degree by which the left and right front
portions
120 and 130 varies depending on the thickness of the object. As the thickness
of the object
increases, the overlap between the left and right front portions 120 and 130
decreases.
[48] The reinforcing sheet 160 may be formed of a resin film or stiff paper.
Characters
or an image for advertisement or promotion purposes may be printed or a blank
where the user
takes notes or for attaching a separate piece of paper may be formed on an
inside or outside of
the reinforcing sheet 160.
[49] In this embodiment, the width of the reinforcing sheet 160 is preferably
formed to
be substantially the same as the vertical width of the rear portion 110 and
the front portions 120
and 130. Since the reinforcing sheet 160 may simply function as a frame to
keep the package
100 in an upright position, the reinforcing sheet 160 may be simply shaped as
a rectangle. The
inside of the reinforcing sheet 160 may be punctuated in a grid or other
various patterns to
reduce its weight and save materials without reducing the structural strength
or hardness.
[50] In this embodiment, an adhesive tape that may be repeatedly attached or
detached
is used as the fastener 170. Such adhesive tape-type fastener 170 maintains
substantially the
same adhesivity even when attached at different positions by the volume of the
object whenever
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used. Even though no separate fastener is provided at a portion where the
fastener 170 is to be
attached, the fastener 170 may be attached, as it is, to the slippery vinyl
surface.
[51] In this embodiment, the package 100 further includes anti-slip structures
180
therein to prevent, e.g., clothes, from being easily escaped off as shown in
the drawings. The
anti-slip structures 180 may be formed of rubber, sponge, or silicone pad with
high surface
friction. The anti-slip structures 180 may be attached at a middle, upper or
lower position
consecutively along the horizontal or vertical direction as well as at the
corners as shown in the
drawings.
[52] A method of using the package configured as above according to this
embodiment
is described. First, a to-be-stored object P, such as a set of clothes
including a top and bottom or
a piece of bedclothes, is folded, with the package 100 unfolded on the floor,
and is then placed
on the unfolded package 100, and is covered by the front portions 120 and 130
that are then
fastened by the fastener 170 while pressurized. Thus, the volume of the object
may be easily
compressed. Although the compression rate is not high as compared with that
achieved by use
of a compression pack that uses a vacuum cleaner to compress an object, the
method may reduce
wrinkles or damage to the object, e.g., clothes, and may allow the object to
be easily pulled out.
In this embodiment, the packing may be done, with the package standing up as
shown in Fig. 3
while the object is compressed. As shown in Fig. 4, the package with the
object therein may be
stored in a drawer D while vertically in the upright position. As such, if the
object P, such as
clothes, is packed in the package 100 and is vertically stored, more clothes
may be stored in the
same size of space as compared with conventional horizontal storage.
[53] Fig. 5 illustrates an example in which an object P, which is food to be
kept frozen
or refrigerated, such as meats or various seasonings or spices, is contained
in a package 100 and
stored in a refrigerator F according to an embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to Fig.
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5, the package 100 is stored, lying on a side thereof rather than standing in
the upright position as
shown in Fig. 4.
[54] As such, the term "vertical storing" or "vertical receiving" as used
herein does not
only mean that the package 100 is stored in the upright position but also
means that the package
100 is vertically stored, lying on a side thereof, i.e., with one of the hinge
portions 140 and 150
placed on the floor, as shown in Fig. 5.
[55] Further, the objects are neatly sorted in horizontal and vertical
directions in the
drawer or refrigerator, allowing them to look well organized when the drawer
or refrigerator is
opened and allowing the user to find his desired piece of clothes or frozen
(refrigerated) food.
Further, even after the piece of clothes or food is pulled out, the remaining
clothes or food
remain organized, eliminating the need of reorganizing.
[56] Meanwhile, the package according to this embodiment has an open top and
bottom. Thus, the user may pull the object out of the package with one hand
while holding and
pressing the package with the other hand to make the rear portion 110 and
front portions 120 and
130 rounded. Thus, the object may be quickly pulled out from the package even
without
,
detaching the fastener 170.
[57] Fig. 6 illustrates a package for vertical storage according to a second
embodiment
of the present invention. The package 100 in this embodiment differs from the
package
according to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in that the former is
single-layered while the
latter is double-layered. In this embodiment, a reinforcing sheet 160 is
attached inside the rear
portion 110 and the front portions 120 and 130 by an adhesive tape or adhesive
or thermal or
high frequency bonding or other methods.
[58] In this embodiment, the package 100 differs from the package according to
the
first embodiment in that the package 100 is single-layered but has the same
function as the
package according to the first embodiment. Thus, no repetitive description is
given.
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[59] In this embodiment, the reinforcing sheet 160 is fixed in the inside of
the rear
portion 110 and the front portions 120 and 130, but the present invention is
not limited thereto.
For example, the reinforcing sheet may be attached to be detachable from the
rear portion or
front portion.
[60] Fig. 7 illustrates a package 100 for vertical storage according to a
third
embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the rear portion 110
and front
portions 120 and 130 of the package 100 are formed of the same material, such
as transparent
vinyl, and the hinge portions 140 and 150 are formed of a material such as a
highly stretchable
rubber sheet or Spandex fabric, and neighboring portions may be sewn or fused
to be compatible
with various objects with different sizes or volumes.
[61] In this embodiment, the content (or object) to be packed in the package
100,
although its volume varies, remains same because its left-right width
corresponds to the
horizontal width of the rear portion 110. However, only the thickness of the
package packing the
object is varied as the hinge portions 140 and 150 are expanded or contracted
by the volume of
the content, and thus, such packages may be neatly stored and organized.
[62] Fig. 8 illustrates a package for vertical storage according to a fourth
embodiment
of the present invention. In this embodiment, as the fastener 170, a pair of
male and female
Velcro tapes are used instead of the adhesive tape used in the above
embodiment. One of the
pair of Velcro tapes is attached onto the front portion 130 at a side, and the
other is attached onto
the front portion 120 at the other side, allowing the tapes to be mutually
attached or detached.
[63] In this embodiment, although the fastener 170 is shaped as a thin strap,
the present
invention is not limited thereto. For example, the position of attachment or
number of fasteners
170 may be varied. Another example of such fastener 170 may be an elastic
band, such as a
known rubber ring, male and female couplers formed to be able to adjust the
volume of the
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content, as used in, e.g., various piles or stationery or other containers or
a PVC soft vinyl
adhesive sheet that may be repeatedly attached and detached.
[64] Fig. 9 illustrates a package for vertical storage according to a sixth
embodiment of
the present invention. According to the instant embodiment, the package 100
differs from the
packages according to the above embodiments in that the package in this
embodiment uses a
fabric net while the packages according to the above embodiments use a
transparent vinyl
material. The fabric net that is stretchable at a certain degree is used to
form the rear portion 110,
front portions 120 and 130, and hinge portions 140 and 150 in a two-layered
structure. The
edges of the rear portion 110, front portions 120 and 130, and hinge portions
140 and 150 are
sewn, and a reinforcing sheet is inserted in the inside of the rear portion
110 and the front
portions 120 and 130 to keep in shape. The rest is the same as those described
above in relation
to the above embodiments.
[65] In this embodiment, the package includes the fabric net, so that the
inside may be
seen through meshes in the net. The hinge portions 140 and 150 may be expanded
or contracted
by the elasticity of the fabric net itself, allowing various objects with
different volumes to be
packed in the package. In particular, since the fabric net itself is high
breathable, clothes packed
in the package may be prevented from molds or damage due to moisture.
[66] Further, although not shown in the drawings, a dehumidifying agent (e.g.,
silica
gel) may be stored in the package 100 or an unwoven cloth for dehumidification
may be attached
in the package 100.
[67] Fig. 10 illustrates an example in which relatively bulky objects P, such
as winter
jumpers, parkas, or overcoats, are packed relatively flatly in packages 100
made in a large size
and vertically stored on a shelf in a wardrobe. As such, vertical storage of
the enlarged packages
in the wardrobe may lead to maximized use of space in the wardrobe, organized
storage and easy
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discovery of clothes, as well as minimized damage to clothes as contrasted to
the conventional
way of using compression packs.
[68] Although in the embodiment shown in Fig. 10 the package 100 allows, e.g.,
an
overcoat to be packed therein, compressed flat, and is vertically stored, the
present invention is
not limited thereto. For example, a hanger shaped as a ring may be integrally
formed with the
package 100, so that the package 100 may be hung to the hanging bar in the
wardrobe.
[69] Although methods for storing an object with the object folded have been
described above in connection with the above embodiments, the package
according to the present
invention may be manufactured in various standards, e.g., so that a dress
shirt may be packed in
the package while unfolded and stretched, and the package is stored in a
traveler's back. In this
case, long, rounded bar-shaped sponges may be put in portions where the arms
of the dress shirt
are folded inward to prevent wrinkles.
[70] Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate a package for vertical storing according to a
seven
embodiment of the present invention.
[71] In this embodiment, the package 100 includes a rear portion 110 and front
portions 120 and 130 standing a to-be-packed object, such as clothes or frozen
(refrigerated)
food, while covering the object at a predetermined width and thickness, and
foldable hinge
portions 140 and 150 between the rear portion 110 and the front portions 120
and 130. The rear
portion 110 and the front portions 120 and 130 are formed of hard sheets to
keep the package
100 in an upright position. Detachable fasteners 170 are provided in the front
portion 120. The
rear portion 110 and the front portions 120 and 130 are formed of hard plastic
sheets, rather than
further including separate reinforcing sheets to keep in shape. The hinge
portions 140 and 150
connecting between the rear portion 110 and the front portions 120 and 130 are
formed of soft
vinyl films and are integrally bonded to the sides of the rear portion and
front portions through
thermal, ultrasonic, or high-frequency bonding.
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[72] The reference numeral 116 denotes a bonded portion.
[73] In this embodiment, the fasteners 170 including male and female Velcro
tapes are
provided in the left and right front portions 120 and 130 to adjust thickness
when the object is
covered with the package as shown in Fig. 11. The left front portion 120 has
such fasteners 170
attached onto an outside thereof, and the right front portion 130 has
fasteners 170 attached onto
an inside thereof.
[74] Further, in this embodiment, the rear portion 110 has jaws 112 and 114
respectively formed at upper and lower portions thereof on the inner surface
of the rear portion
110 to prevent the object packed in the package from sagging or sliding down.
The jaws 112 and
114 may be preferably formed as protruding beads that are elongate in left and
right directions as
shown in the drawings, but not limited thereto. More preferably, e.g., anti-
slip silicone coating
may be added to the surface of the jaws 112 and 114 to effectively prevent a
piece of clothes or
vinyl-wrapped food packed in the package from slipping (sliding down), thus
preventing the
package from bulging out.
[75] In this embodiment, the jaws 112 and 114 may be integrally formed with
the rear
portion 110 and front portions 120 and 130 that are formed of hard synthetic
resin sheets and
may be formed of the same material as the rear and front portions 110, 120,
and 130. The jaws
112 and 114 may be formed of a different material (e.g., a soft silicone
resin), which is not a hard
synthetic resin, by, e.g., double-shot injection.
[76] In this embodiment, the rear portion 110 and the front portions 120 and
130 are
preferably formed of transparent synthetic resin sheets, and detachable marks
may be attached to
the front portions 120 and 130 or hinge portions 140 and 150 to help the
object to be identified
and pulled out while the package is stored vertically.
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[77] The package according to the instant embodiment may also be used in the
same
manner as described in relation to the above embodiments, and no repetitive
description of a
specific method of using the same is given.
[78] Meanwhile, according to the present invention, the inner surface of the
rear
portion 110 may be formed of a frictional material for preventing slips or may
be formed in an
anti-slip pattern, rather than forming the jaws 112 and 114 in the above
embodiment.
[79] Further, according to the present invention, instead of forming the jaws
112 and
114 according to the above embodiment or forming a frictional material or anti-
slip pattern or
form, a soft or hard skirt having a foldable hinge portion may be attached to
at least one of an
upper and lower end of the rear portion 110 to prevent the content (or object)
from slipping down
(sliding down). The content is placed on the inside of the rear portion 110,
the skirt extending
through the hinge portion is folded up, and the left and right front portions
120 and 130 are
folded to cover the content. By doing so, the content is prevented from
slipping down. The top-
bottom length of the skirt is about 1/3 of the horizontal length of the rear
portion.
[80] Figs. 13 and 14 illustrate a package for vertical storage according to an
eight
embodiment of the present invention. The package includes a rear portion 110
and front portions
120 and 130 to cover a to-be-packed object, such as clothes or refrigerated
food, at a
predetermined width and thickness and stand the object and foldable hinge
portions 140 and 150
between the rear portion 110 and the front portions 120 and 130. The rear
portion 110 and the
front portions 120 and 130 are formed of hard sheets to keep the package 100
in an upright
position. Detachable fasteners 170 are provided in the front portion 120.
Instead of separate
reinforcing sheets to keep in shape, the rear portion 110 and the front
portions 120 and 130 are
formed of hard plastic sheets, and the hinge portions 140 and 150 connecting
between the rear
portion 110 and the front portions 120 and 130 are formed of hard plastic
sheets. The hinge
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portions 140 and 150 have a plurality of folding grooves 142 and 152
vertically formed in
parallel with each other to be flexibly folded.
[81] Also in the instant embodiment, the left and right front portions 120 and
130 have
fasteners 170 including male and female Velcro tapes to adjust thickness when
the object is
covered for storage as shown in Fig. 13. The fasteners 170 are attached onto
the outside of the
left front portion 120 and onto the inside of the right front portion 130.
[82] Also in this embodiment, jaws 112 and 114 are formed at upper and lower
sides
on the inner surface of the rear portion 110 to prevent the object from
slipping or sagging down
when the package is placed in an upright position for vertical storage. The
jaws 112 and 114 are
the same as those described above in connection with the seventh embodiment,
and thus, no
repetitive description thereof is given.
[83] Figs. 15 and 16 illustrate a package for vertical storage according to a
ninth
embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the rear portion 110
is formed of a
hard plastic sheet. Front portions 120 and 130 formed of soft vinyl sheets are
attached to left and
right sides, respectively, of the rear portion 110. A separate reinforcing
sheet 160 is added to be
put in the inside of the front portions 120 and 130 to prevent a front portion
of the package from
bulging out.
[84] In this embodiment, no separate hinge portions are provided between the
rear
portion 110 and the front portions 120 and 130, and the front portions 120 and
130 are formed of
flexible vinyl sheets to allow the front portions 120 and 130 to be folded
fitting the thickness of
the object to be packed in the package.
[85] In this embodiment, the reinforcing sheet 160 is separated. Upon packing
a sheet
of clothes, the separated reinforcing sheet 160 is used to easily fold the
sheet of clothes in a
predetermined size and shape, like in such a way of folding clothes using a
file folder as may
frequently be seen from an organizing guru's web blog. Further, unlike in the
conventional
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method, the package may be easily erected at any angle (even with the hinge
portion placed on
the floor). This addresses the shortcomings of the above-described embodiments
in which the
package is easily put in the upright position only through the opened top or
bottom thereof but is
not with the hinge portion placed on the floor.
[86] Further, in storing food through the package in a refrigerating or
freezing
compartment, the front reinforcing sheet may compress, flatten, and stand the
food as its existing
function. Further, the front portion reinforcing sheet 160 may separately be
pulled out after the
food is frozen in a desired form. Thus, the resultant volume may be reduced,
leaving a slightly
increased room for storage in the freezing compartment (or refrigerating
compartment). As
shown in Fig. 17, receiving holes 162 of various shapes or sizes, e.g., in the
shape of an ice cube
tray, may be formed in an inside of the reinforcing sheet 160, which contacts
the food, allowing
the food to be formed and frozen in a desired shape depending on the type of
food and allowing
only a desired amount of garlic or meat to be easily taken out.
[87] In this embodiment, the jaws 112 and 114 of the rear portion 110 and the
fasteners
170 of the front portions 120 and 130 are the same as those described above in
connection with
the above embodiments, and no repetitive description thereof is given.
[88] Although the above embodiments primarily focus on examples in which the
package according to the present invention is used to store, e.g., clothes,
the present invention is
not limited thereto. For example, the package may also be used for the purpose
of storing a piece
of bedding, e.g., blanket, or meat, seasoning, or other various types of food
in a refrigerator or
container for storage. Further, the material of each component is not limited
to those mentioned
in connection with the above-described embodiments.
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[89] [REFERENCE DENOTATIONS]
[90] 100 : package
[91] 110 : rear portion
[92] 112,114 : jaw
[93] 116 : bonded portion
[94] 120,130 : front portion
[95] 140,150 : hinge portion
[96] 160 : reinforcing sheet
[97] 162 : receiving hole
[98] 170 : fastener
[99] 180 : anti-slip structure
[100] D : drawer
[101] F : refrigerator
[102] P : object (e.g., a piece of clothes or food)
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