Patent Application
20230097794
Not Applicable
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of animal resistant containers. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to novel systems and methods for storing items in containers in a fashion that is capable of resisting the forces of wild animals while remaining lightweight, economical, and practical for use during outdoor activities.
In the field of animal resistant containers, there is a strong demand for improved products that are capable of better addressing customer needs. Technology must develop the support this demand.
Currently, animal resistant containers suffer from a number of deficiencies. Today, the predominant way in which items like foodstuffs, which may attract the attention of wild animals, are protected is either by (a) placing those items in a container that is sufficiently strong that it will stymie a wild animal's attempts to physically access the interior of the container or to damage any of its contents, and which includes an access mechanism that will allow access by a human but not a wild animal, or by (b) placing the items in a location that a wild animal will not typically be able to access.
For a container to be sufficiently strong to resist attempts by a wild animal (for example, a bear, racoon or squirrel) to physically access its interior and to protect its contents from damage during any such attempts, it generally must be formed of a thick, rigid material such as a polymer or a metal. Such containers are typically formed as cylinders so as to maximize strength and volume and are often referred to as “canisters.” Alternatively, flexible “sacks” made of reinforced woven material such as Kevlar or Spectra may be used to prevent physical access to the interior and contents. Typically, such canisters and sacks will have an opening mechanism at one end that permit ready opening by a human but not a wild animal, either via such opening requiring a certain level of manual dexterity, or by requiring use of a tool such as a screwdriver or the edge of a coin. For example, screw lid, twist-lock lids, knotted or keyed openings are common.
Alternatively, the items to be protected may be placed in a location that the wild animal will not be able to access. Most commonly, this is accomplished by elevating the items to a height that will be beyond the reach of a wild animal. Typically, the items will be placed in a bag or sack that is attached to a long cord, and the bag or sack is hoisted to the desired height using a conveniently located rigid structure, such as a tree branch. The end of the cord will be secured to another conveniently located rigid structure, such as a tree trunk, to maintain the bag or sack at the desired height until the cord is removed.
In many outdoor situations, conveniently located rigid structures may not be readily available, hanging may be ineffective against animals that climb, or tree limb damage may be excessive, and thus the first option for protecting items from wild animals may be preferred. However, existing container systems of the “canister” and “sack” type suffer from a number of deficiencies, including weight, material efficiency, and convenience.
Therefore, this is a need in the art for improved animal resistant container systems and method of using such animal resistant container systems, which remedy these deficiencies.
An animal resistant container system, and a method of using such a container system, is contemplated in which two or more separate storage volumes, each including its own connector portion that defines the opening into the interior of that storage volume, may be simultaneously connected to opposed interconnector portions of a single interconnector, with the interconnector including a cross-sectional structure that may serve to at least partially occlude the opening into the interior of either or both storage volume when that storage volume is connected to the interconnector. In this fashion, an animal resistant container system may be manufactured and used which may be formed of less material than a conventional animal resistant container having the same internal volume for storing items, may allow for two or more separate interior volumes which optionally be kept segregated from one another, and which may be modular so as to permit the simultaneous use of different types or sizes of storage volumes with a single interconnector portion between any two volume sections.
According to one exemplary embodiment, an animal resistant container system may comprise a first storage volume, the first storage volume including a first connector portion, the first connector portion at least partially defining a first aperture permitting access into an interior of the first storage volume, a second storage volume, the second storage container including a second connector portion, the second connector portion at least partially defining a second aperture permitting access into an interior of the second storage volume, and an interconnector comprising a pair of opposed interconnection portions and at least one cross-sectional structure, each of the first and second connector portions being engageable with at least one of the interconnection portions such that first connector portion may be engaged with one of the interconnection portions with the second connector portions simultaneously engaged with the other of the interconnection portions, wherein, when a connector portion of a storage container is engaged with the interconnector, the cross-sectional structure at least partially spans the aperture at least partially defined by that connector portion so as to at least partially occlude access into the interior of that storage volume.
These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein are better understood with respect to the following descriptions and drawings, in which:
Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and the detailed description to indicate the same elements.
According to various aspects of the present disclosure, animal resistant container systems and methods are contemplated, in which two or more separate storage volumes, each including a connector portion which at least partially defines an opening into the interior of that storage volume, may be simultaneously connected to opposed interconnector portions of a single interconnector, with that interconnector including a cross-sectional structure that may serve to at least partially occlude the opening into the interior of either or both storage volume when that storage volume is connected to the interconnector. In this fashion, the resulting animal resistant container system may be seen to have a number of advantages over conventional container systems, including advantages in modularity, economy, weight, organization, and convenience. As such, these systems and methods represent substantial improvements over the prior art.
Turning now to
The first and second storage volumes 12, 14 may be any type of storage volumes suitable for use in animal resistant container systems. In the first exemplary embodiment, these storage volumes 12, 14 may be seen to be generally cylindrical in form, with extended, rounded sides and generally flat ends, such that when the resulting animal resistant container system 10 is fully assembled, the entire container system is likewise generally cylindrical. Advantageously, a generally cylindrical storage volume 12, 14 may allow for the storage volume 12, 14 and/or the assembled animal resistant container system 10 to more easily fit in a pack, which may be especially important in the context of backpacking because everything must be carried by the backpacker and thus stowed efficiently as space is limited. By the same token, off-season storage of the storage volumes 12, 14 may likewise benefit from their generally cylindrical shape. It has also been found that a generally cylindrical shape may allow a backpacker or other hiker or camper to use the storage volume 12, 14 or assembled system 10 as a stool to sit on while at camp. In this way, packing may be made even more efficient as it may no longer be necessary to pack a separate seat, with the system 10 instead serving a dual purpose as animal resistant storage and seating. A generally cylindrical shape may also have a distinct advantage over more round or spherical shapes in terms of animal resistance. By dispersing pressure exerted by a large mammal, for example a bear pumping on the structure, along a greater surface area with ground contact and one that has the reinforcing strength of a rounded terminal corner defining the end of the cylinder, a generally cylindrical container may resist the forces exerted on it far better than would a generally spherical shape with a single point of ground contact.
However, it may be seen that other shapes and configurations of storage volumes 12, 14 may be utilized, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, storage volumes 12, 14 which may have square or rectangular cross-sections may be utilized, or any other cross-sections such as ovoid, hexagonal, or any other geometry known for use as suitable for storage volumes may be utilized, including spherical geometries. It is further contemplated that the first and second storage volumes 12, 14 may be substantially identically formed in shape and configuration, which may be seen to potentially aid in ease of economical mass production and a reduction of difficulty to manufacture, or the first and second storage volumes 12, 14 may be substantially dissimilar in shape, such as differing in one or more dimensions (e.g., cylinder length), and/or configuration, which may aid in differentiation of the two storage volumes according to the purpose for which such volumes may be desired to be used. For example, it is contemplated that volumes may be differently designed or colored so as to assist in identification of the volumes from one another, resulting in a user being able to more easily use the different volumes for different items or types of items, and to more easily access the items within those volumes, compared to a single volume which would hold all of the items together and potentially result in difficulty in retrieving certain items.
For example, a user may desire to place smaller items in one volume and larger items in the other volume, which may assist in more rapidly and easily retrieving the desired items compared to an arrangement in which all items are placed in the same volume, which may result in a smaller item not being accessible without first removing a larger item. It may also be desirable to provide or otherwise make available more than two storage volumes 12, 14 of varying shapes, sizes, and/or configurations, and to allow the end user to select which particular two storage volumes 12, 14 they wish to use at any given time. For example, it may be desired for a user to utilize one storage volume for items such as foodstuffs, and to as such to select a storage volume that is substantially rigid and is formed of a tough material that is resistant to the passage of air therethrough so as to reduce the tendency of a wild animal to detect the presence of such foodstuffs via smell, and to further prevent intrusion therein by such an animal. At the same time, the user may desire to place non-foodstuffs in the other storage volume, and as such may select for the other storage volume a material that is not necessarily substantially rigid nor is formed of a material that is as tough nor resistant to the passage of air, but which consequently may be less heavy and bulky. Alternatively, the user may desire to use one of the storage volumes as a receptacle for solid items, and the other as a liquid reservoir, such as for drinking water. As such, the user may be seen to have different requirements for each storage volume, and may naturally select storage volumes 12, 14 having characteristics suitable for these varying purposes.
For example, a user who desires to use a particular storage volume for drinking water may select a storage volume that is watertight and has an internal lining material suitable for contact with water to maintain potability of the water and to prevent degradation or other damage to the material of the storage volume. In contrast, a storage volume used for solid packaged foodstuffs might be suitably manufactured from a material that would not be suitable for use with a liquid, and which may not even necessarily be watertight. According to further variations, a user may select one larger capacity and/or more lengthy storage volume for use on one side, and a smaller capacity and/or less lengthy storage volume on the other, according to any number of possible reasons particular to the user's needs. It may thus be seen that the potential variations in the actual configuration and dimensions of the storage volumes are essentially without limit, and that that any such potential sizes, shapes, or configurations may be utilized and achieved in accordance with the presently disclosed systems and methods without departing from the scope and spirit as herein contemplated.
By allowing for variable size container options, the animal resistant container system 10 may be tailored to the food capacity needs of a specific user, specific trip length, or group size. Whether it is youth or small stature hikers with lower caloric needs, or larger hikers with higher caloric needs, one size does not necessarily work well for all. Over time, minimizing weight and optimizing exact sizing of every piece that is put in a backpack has become something of an art, and a hot topic for mastery among backpackers, especially the growing category of “ultralight” backpackers. The variable size configurations allowed by the system 10 may meet these needs of backpackers and other users while keeping overall consumer cost down and material use (and thus environmental impact) to a minimum.
Each of the storage volumes 12, 14 may include connector portions 18, 24 which define apertures 20, 26 which permits access into storage volume interiors 22, 28. According to the first exemplary embodiment illustrated in
An interconnector portion 16 may be provided that includes opposed interconnector portions 30, 32, each of which in the first exemplary embodiment illustrated in
The interconnector 16 may also include a cross-sectional structure 34 which may be configured to at least partially occlude the first aperture 20 and/or the second aperture 26 when the first and/or second storage volumes 12, 14 are attached to the interconnector 16. According to the first exemplary embodiment show in
In this fashion, the cross-sectional structure 34 may also be configured to vary at different regions. For example, in certain embodiments, the cross-sectional structure 34 may be completely occluding within the area delimited by the internal support rings 38 and may be only partially occluding within the area between the internal support ring 38 and the external support ring 36. In this fashion, it may be seen that by engaging a connector portion 18, 24 of a storage volume 12, 14 with the internal support ring, a completely occlusive barrier may be placed over the aperture 20, 26 of that storage volume 12, 14, while by engaging a connector portions 18, 24 of a storage volume 12, 14 with the external support ring, the barrier may be less occlusive. It may also be seen that such occlusion may be a result not entirely of cross-sectional occupancy, but also of material composition. For example, it may be seen that the cross-sectional structure 34 may be formed, in whole or in part, of a material which itself may be permeable in some fashion to some items or materials, but not to others. For example, it may be that the cross-sectional structure 34 or portions thereof may be formed of a “breathable” membrane such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) or another material which may allow for the passage therethrough of vapor but may resist the passage of liquids. In this fashion, it may be that valve-like arrangements may be realized which may prevent the accumulation of pressure differences between the two storage volume interiors 22, 28 or between the storage volume interiors 22, 28 and the outside environment.
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Those skilled in the art will recognize that the interconnector 16 provides structural support for the container; selectively joins the two storage volumes together; may include a locking mechanism to prevent disconnection from one or both of the storage volumes (not shown) and can include various cross-sectional structures 34 as described above.
The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the exemplary embodiments.
This application relates to and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/249,206, filed Sep. 28, 2021 and entitled “ANIMAL RESISTANT CONTAINER SYSTEM AND METHOD,” the entire contents of which is expressly incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63249206 | Sep 2021 | US |
