Container with ornamental effect

Abstract

A container with an ornamental effect has an inner shell, an outer shell, at least one liquid, an ornamental object, and a rotation device. The outer shell is mounted on the outside of the inner shell to form an enclosure. The ornamental object and the at least one liquid are located within the enclosure. A specific weight of the ornamental object is substantially equal to a specific weight of the at least one liquid. The ornamental object thus floats on the at least one liquid. The function of the rotation device is to rotate the ornamental object.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a container having an ornamental effect, such as a shower gel bottle, a jug, a cup or the like.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,945 (entitled “Container having separable liquid-ornament unit”) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,819 (entitled “Container with a structural improvement”) disclose a combined container with a liquid-ornament unit, where the container can be a shower gel container.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,411 (entitled “Container”) also discloses the combination of a container with a liquid-ornament unit, in which the container can be a toothbrush holder, bowl, garbage can, etc.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,021 (entitled “Glass drinking vessel with a bottom ornament”) discloses the combination of a drinking vessel and the liquid-ornament unit.

However, the above-mentioned patents only disclose the combination of a container with a liquid-ornament unit, without any discussion of rotating ornaments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A main objective of the present invention is to provide to a container having a rotatable ornamental object.

In order to achieve the above mention objective, the container with ornament effect of the present invention comprises an inner shell, an outer shell, at least one liquid, an ornamental object, a base, and a rotation device.

The outer shell is mounted on the outside of the inner shell to form an enclosure. The ornamental object and the at least one liquid are located within the enclosure. A specific weight of the ornamental object is substantially equal to a specific weight of the at least one liquid. The ornamental object thus floats on the at least one liquid. The function of the rotation device is to rotate the ornamental object. The base comprises a supply power, and the rotation device receives the power provided by the supply power to continuously rotate the ornament object. According to the embodiment, rotation device further comprises: a magnetic field generator for generating a varying magnetic field, the magnetic field generator mounted in the base; and at least one second magnetic object mounted in the bottom of the ornamental object, wherein a changing magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator drives the second magnetic object to rotate the ornamental object.

Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment container having an ornament effect according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the first embodiment container having an ornament effect.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment container having an ornament effect.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment container having an ornamental effect.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment container having an ornament effect.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional drawing of a fourth embodiment container having an ornament effect.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional drawing of a fifth embodiment container having an ornament effect.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional drawing of a sixth embodiment container according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, for a first embodiment of the present invention. A container 10 having an ornamental effect according to the present invention may be, for example, a shower gel bottle, which comprises an inner shell 20, an outer shell 30, at least one liquid 40, an ornamental object 50, an upper cover 61, a pump head 63, a base 80 and a rotation device 70.

The shell 20 has a containment space 25 for holding a shower or shampoo gel. The upper cover 61 covers the inner shell 20, and the pump head 63 is combined with the upper cover 61. The upper cover 61 may be formed together with the inner shell 20. A user can press the pump head 63 to dispense the liquid in the inner shell 20.

The outer shell 30 is mounted on the outside of the inner shell 20 and is combined with the inner shell 20 to form an enclosure 31. Prior to forming the enclosure 31, the ornamental object 50 may be placed within the enclosure 31, and at least one liquid 40 is disposed within the enclosure 31, utilizing any suitable technique, which are known in the art. For example, the liquid 40 may be poured through a hole (not shown) in the outer shell 30 and into the enclosure 31, and then the hole can be sealed. In addition, more than one liquid may be poured into the enclosure 31; for example, water and oil, preferably, or different liquids having different colors.

The ornamental object 50 may have various patterns, such as different areas having different colors. The specific weight of the ornamental object 50 may be substantially equal to the specific weight of the liquid 40 so that the ornamental object 50 floats within the liquid 40. Furthermore, the ornamental object 50 may be provided a weight (not shown) so that the specific weight of the ornamental object 50 substantially equals the specific weight of the liquid 40.

A base 80 comprises a power supply 81, wherein the outer shell is mounted on the base 80 (either fixedly or non-fixedly). The power supply 81, in this embodiment, is a solar powered battery 811. The power supply 81 may also be standard batteries, or line power. The base 80 may also include a magnetic field generator 71 that generates a varying magnetic field. In this embodiment, the magnetic field generator 71 comprises a first magnetic element and a motor 712, and the motor 712 is used to rotate the first magnetic element to generate a changing magnetic field. The base 80 may have a control switch 83 for controlling power to the magnetic field generator 71.

A second magnetic element 72 is preferably mounted on the bottom of the ornamental object 50, so that the changing magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator 71 can drive the second magnetic element 72 to rotate the ornamental object 50. As the enclosure 31 contains the liquid 40, and as the ornamental object 50 can float within the liquid 40, the ornamental object 50 should experience a very small frictional resistance while rotating or moving.

The technology relating to the rotation of objects induced by magnetic forces can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,789 (entitled “Sphere Toy”). The first magnetic element 732 and the second magnetic element 74 may both be magnets; or, one of them may be a magnet while the other one may be a magnetic material (such as steel).

The rotation device 70 includes the magnetic field generator 71 and the second magnetic element 72. The magnetic field generator 71 may also be an electromagnet (in which a magnetic field is formed by a current passing through a coil), and so it is not necessary that the magnetic field generator 71 include the motor 712 and the first magnetic element 711.

Please refer to FIG. 4, which is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a container 10a having an ornamental effect according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the ornamental object 50 comprises a positioning region 55a (such as an upward concave region) and the inner shell 20 may have a corresponding assisting positioning region 35 (such as an upward protrusion) so that the ornamental object 50 can be positioned during rotation. The positioning region 55a and the corresponding assisting positioning region 35 may be located along a rotational axis of the ornamental object 50. The positioning region 55a and the corresponding assisting positioning region 35 can hold up the ornamental object 50 during rotation, and when the specific weight of the ornamental object 50 is slightly larger than the specific weight of the liquid 40, the ornamental object 50, with the corresponding assisting positioning region 35, can hold up the ornament object 50.

Please refer to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of a container 10b having an ornament effect according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the ornamental object 50 comprises a positioning region 55b (such as an upward concave region) and the inner shell 20 has a corresponding assisting positioning region 25 (such as an upward protrusion) so that the ornament object 50 can be positioned during rotation. The positioning region 55b and the corresponding assisting positioning region 25 may be located along a rotational axis of the ornamental object 50. The positioning region 55b and the corresponding assisting positioning region 25 can support the ornamental object 50 during rotation, and when the specific weight of the ornamental object 50 is slightly smaller than the specific weight of the liquid 40, the ornamental object 50, with the corresponding assisting positioning region 25, can hold down the ornament object 50.

The ornamental object 50 may be rotated without being positioned, particularly if the specific weight of the ornamental object 50 is very close to the specific weight of the liquid 40.

Please refer to FIG. 6, which is a cross-sectional drawing of a fourth embodiment container 10c having an ornament effect according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the container 10c has a cap 65 instead of the pump head 63.

Please refer to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional drawing of a fifth embodiment container 10d having an ornament effect according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the container 10d does not have the upper cover 61 or the pump head 63. The container 10d may thus serve as an open container, such as a cup, a toothbrush holder, a candy container or the like.

Please refer to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional drawing of a sixth embodiment container 10e having an ornamental effect according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the container 10e has a spherical shape.

Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A container with an ornamental effect comprising: an inner shell for forming a containment space;an outer shell mounted outside of the inner shell to form an enclosure;a liquid disposed within the enclosure;an ornamental object disposed in the enclosure, a specific weight of the ornamental object being substantially equal to a specific weight of the liquid;a base having a supply power, wherein the outer shell is mounted on the base; anda rotation device for receiving power provided by the power supply to continuously rotate the ornamental object.

2. The container with an ornamental effect as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotation device further comprises: a magnetic field generator for generating a varying magnetic field, the magnetic field generator mounted in the base; andat least one second magnetic object mounted in the bottom of the ornamental object, wherein a changing magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator drives the second magnetic object to rotate the ornamental object.

3. The container with an ornamental effect as claimed in claim 2, wherein the magnetic field generator comprises a first magnetic element and a motor, and the motor is used for rotating the first magnetic element to generate the varying magnetic field.

4. The container with an ornamental effect as claimed in claim 3 further comprising an upper cover located above the inner shell.

5. The container with an ornamental effect as claimed in claim 4, wherein the container is a shower gel bottle.

6. The container with an ornamental effect as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an upper cover located above the inner shell.

7. The container with an ornamental effect as claimed in claim 6, wherein the container is a shower gel bottle.

8. The container with an ornamental effect as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ornamental object comprises a positioning region, and the inner shell or the outer shell has a corresponding assisting positioning region.

9. The container with an ornamental effect as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rotation device comprises: a magnetic field generator for generating a varying magnetic field, the magnetic field generator mounted in the base; andat least one second magnetic object mounted on the bottom of the ornamental object, wherein a changing magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator drives the second magnetic object to rotate the ornamental object.

10. The container with an ornamental effect as claimed in claim 9, wherein the magnetic field generator comprises a first magnetic element and a motor, and the motor is used for rotating the first magnetic element to generate the varying magnetic field.