Reusable shipping container with integrated content protection

Abstract

A two-way reusable shipping container has a plurality of flexible walls, the walls surrounding an internal cavity when the shipping container is in an open state. A pouch is located on a first wall of the plurality of flexible walls, and is configured to form a pocket into which the walls of the shipping container are collapsed when the shipping container is in a compact state. A closure device is configured to retain the shipping container in the pocket in the compact state. In some embodiments, the shipping container includes inflatable pillows, each pillow being secured to one of the walls. In some embodiments, the pouch inverts when the shipping container is converted between the open and compact states, such that interior surfaces of the pocket when the shipping container is in the open state become exterior surfaces of the pocket when the shipping container is in the compact state.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A two-way reusable shipping container comprising:
 a plurality of flexible walls, the flexible walls surrounding an internal cavity when the shipping container is in an open state;   a first closure device capable of closing the internal cavity;   a pouch located on a first wall of the plurality of flexible walls, wherein the pouch forms a pocket into which the flexible walls of the shipping container are collapsed when the shipping container is in a compact state;   a second closure device coupled to the shipping label pouch, wherein the second closure device retains the shipping container in the pocket in the compact state; and   an inflatable pillow secured to a selected wall in the plurality of flexible walls.   
     
     
         2 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the selected wall comprises an interior space within the wall, and the inflatable pillow is secured by being inserted into the interior space. 
     
     
         3 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable pillow must be removed or deflated for the selected wall of the shipping container to be collapsed. 
     
     
         4 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the pouch is configured to form the pocket by inverting when the shipping container is converted between the open state and the compact state. 
     
     
         5 . The shipping container of  claim 4 , wherein the pouch is integrated with the selected wall in the plurality of flexible walls. 
     
     
         6 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flexible walls are configured to be collapsed such that the flexible walls are compressed together and stowed into the pocket for shipping the container itself in a compact size;   in the open state, the internal cavity provides a space to hold an object to be shipped; and   in the compact state, the internal cavity is absent.   
     
     
         7 . The shipping container of  claim 6 , wherein:
 wherein the inflatable pillow must be removed or deflated for the flexible walls to be compressed together and stowed into the pocket.   
     
     
         8 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of inflatable pillows that includes the inflatable pillow, wherein the plurality of inflatable pillows are independently secured to the plurality of flexible walls; and wherein each inflatable pillow has an inflated state that provides structural rigidity to the shipping container in the open state. 
     
     
         9 . The shipping container of  claim 8 , further comprising an inflation valve;
 wherein the plurality of inflatable pillows are in fluid communication with the inflation valve.   
     
     
         10 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the shipping container is one of the group consisting of an envelope, a bag, and a box. 
     
     
         11 . A reusable shipping container comprising:
 a plurality of flexible walls, the flexible walls surrounding an internal cavity when the shipping container is in an open state;   a plurality of inflatable pillows, each inflatable pillow being secured to one of the flexible walls, wherein each inflatable pillow has an inflated state that provides structural rigidity to the shipping container in the open state;   a pouch located on a first wall of the plurality of flexible walls, wherein the pouch forms a pocket into which the walls of the shipping container are collapsed when the shipping container is in a compact state; and   a closure device that retains the shipping container in the pocket in the compact state;   wherein the label area is visible when the shipping container is in the open state and in the compact state, without opening the closure device.   
     
     
         12 . The shipping container of  claim 11 , wherein when the shipping container is in the compact state, the plurality of inflatable pillows are uninflated and are collapsed into the pocket with the flexible walls of the shipping container. 
     
     
         13 . The shipping container of  claim 11 , wherein each wall in the plurality of flexible walls comprises an interior space within the wall, and each inflatable pillow in the plurality of inflatable pillows is inserted into the interior space of the wall. 
     
     
         14 . The shipping container of  claim 11 , further comprising a dividing wall in the internal cavity. 
     
     
         15 . The shipping container of  claim 11 , wherein an inflatable pillow in the plurality of inflatable pillows comprises a plurality of chambers, the chambers being in fluid communication with each other within the inflatable pillow. 
     
     
         16 . The shipping container of  claim 11 , further comprising an inflation valve;
 wherein the plurality of inflatable pillows are in fluid communication with the inflation valve.   
     
     
         17 . The shipping container of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of flexible walls comprises side walls that form a perimeter of the shipping container, and wherein the inflatable pillows are secured to the side walls. 
     
     
         18 . The shipping container of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of flexible walls further comprises a base wall serving as a base for the side walls and a lid wall serving as a lid for the side walls, and wherein the inflatable pillows are secured to the side walls, the base wall and the lid wall. 
     
     
         19 . A reusable shipping container comprising:
 a plurality of flexible walls, the flexible walls surrounding an internal cavity when the reusable shipping container is in an open state;   a plurality of inflatable pillows, each inflatable pillow secured to one of the flexible walls;   a pouch located on a first wall of the plurality of flexible walls, the pouch configured to form a pocket into which the plurality of flexible walls are collapsed when the shipping container is in a compact state; and   a closure device coupled to the pouch, the closure device being configured to retain the shipping container in the pocket in the compact state;   wherein the pouch inverts when the shipping container is converted between the open state and the compact state, such that interior surfaces of the pocket when the shipping container is in the open state become exterior surfaces of the pocket when the shipping container is in the compact state.   
     
     
         20 . The shipping container of  claim 19 , wherein each inflatable pillow has an inflated state that provides structural rigidity to the shipping container in the open state, and an uninflated state enabling the inflatable pillow to be collapsed into the pocket when the shipping container is in the compact state. 
     
     
         21 . The shipping container of  claim 19 , wherein the pouch comprises a label area having a surface to display a shipping label.