This invention relates to the field of food storage and more particularly to a system of containers with integral magnets.
Food storage is an issue that affects everyone. Whether in a restaurant or home setting, storing raw ingredients or prepared foods is a daily task.
Food storage containers come in all shapes, both within a given brand and between brands. The resulting issue is keeping matching lids and containers together.
What is needed is a system of food storage containers that maintains matching containers and lids together.
The magnetic food storage system is formed from a container and a lid, each with one or more embedded magnets. The magnets interact with each other to hold the containers to each other, hold lids to containers, and hold lids to lids.
The magnets are preferably molded inside of the lid and inside the bottom of the container, the magnets being surrounded by material. Stated differently, there is a pocket within the body of the lid and a pocket within the bottom of the container, creating a space for the magnets. By surrounding the magnets with material, contact between stored food and the magnets is avoided, thus preventing contamination.
Magnets have a polarity, where unlike poles attract and like poles repel. Thus, North attracts South, South attracts North, North repels North, and South repels South.
In some embodiments, the containers have magnetic arrangements that vary depending on the shape of the container. For example, two magnets set in a line for a rectangular container, or three magnets set in a triangle for a round container.
In other embodiments, containers of differing shape have matching magnetic configurations to allow the differing shapes to be stored together. For example, each container and lid using two equally-spaced magnets, allowing smaller containers to be stored within larger containers.
The preferred embodiment is two magnets set in a line, two being a sufficient number to align a container and a lid.
In additional alternative embodiments, the poles of the magnet are used to aid in arrangement of the lids and containers. For example, two magnets set in a line, a first magnet with the N-pole facing into the container, the second magnet with the S-pole facing into the container. If the lid was rotated with respect to its correct position, the like-poles would repel each other, forcing rotation of the lid with respect to the container to match the magnets.
In an additional alternative embodiment, the lid magnet or the container magnet is replaced with a ferromagnet material, such as steel. This substitution of material still allows for attracting between a lid and a container, but the item without the magnet would have no attraction. For example, the lids with embedded steel would not be attracted to each other.
The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures.
Referring to
The magnetic food storage 1 is formed from a container 10 and lid 20.
The container 10 includes an interior 12, exterior 14, bottom 16, and walls 18.
The lid 20 includes an inside 22 and outside 24. The body 21 is affixed to multiple optional locking arms 26. An optional resilient seal 28 compresses during application of the lid 20 to the container 10, improving the seal.
The container 10 includes a container magnet 50, the lid 20 includes a lid magnet 51. The magnets 50/51 are preferably embedded within the container 10 and lid 20 within magnet pockets 52.
The magnets 50/51 have a polarity, with North pole 54 and South pole 55.
Referring to
A first container 10 with lid 20 is placed on top of a second container 10 with lid 20, the container magnet 50 and lid magnet 51 interacting to hold the magnetic food storage 1 together.
Specifically, the North pole 54 of the lid magnet 51 is attracted to the South pole 55 of the container magnet 50.
Referring to
Again shown is a first container 10 with lid 20 is placed on top of a second container 10 with lid 20, but now the container magnet 50 and lid magnet 51 are set in a magnet pattern 56, the magnets 50/51 separated, the center-to-center distance being the magnet spacing 57. The result is that the first container and second container align, and if placed at an angle with respect to others, the magnets 50/51 will pull the containers into alignment.
Again shown is a first container 10 with lid 20 is placed on top of a second container 10 with lid 20, but now the container magnet 50 and lid magnet 51 are set in a magnet pattern 56, the magnets 50/51 separated, the center-to-center distance being the magnet spacing 57. The result is that the first container and second container align, and if placed at an angle with respect to others, the magnets 50/51 will pull the containers into alignment.
Further shown is protrusion 70 and gap 72.
Referring to
Referring to
In this orientation, multiple containers 10 are nested, then set on top of stacked lids 20.
Sets of container magnets 50 are attracted to each other, holding the containers 10 in a nested position. The container magnets 50 are also attracted to the lid magnets 51, the lid magnets 51 in turn attracted to each other.
The result is a stack of containers 10 and lids 20 that stay together.
Referring to
Referring to
Each embodiment of the lid 20 is shown with a differing magnet pattern 56.
These differing magnet patterns 56 have different purposes. The position of the magnets 50/51 affect at which positions the containers 10 and lids 20 will attract each other. Linear arrangements have two positions—0 and 180 degrees. Triangular arrangements have three positions—0, 120, and 240 degrees. Square arrangements have four positions—0, 90, 180, and 270.
As a means of reducing positions at which containers 10 and lids 20 will lock, the lid magnets 51 can be inverted, such that the poles face different directions.
For example, for
In such an embodiment, the container magnets 50 are similarly flipped, matching the orientation of their corresponding lid magnets 51.
Similar reorientation of the magnets for other magnet patterns 56 correspondingly affects the number of positions at which containers 10 and lids 20 will interface.
Referring to
In this embodiment, the magnetic food storage 1 is shown in both square and rectangular shapes. The square and rectangular shapes are all shown with magnet patterns 56 using only a single container magnet 50 and lid magnet 51.
Thus, the square containers and rectangular containers line up.
Referring to
In this embodiment, the magnetic food storage 1 is again shown in both square and rectangular shapes. But the square and rectangular shapes use differing magnet patterns 56. The square containers use only a single container magnet 50 and lid magnet 51, whereas the rectangular containers use a magnet pattern 56 with two container magnets 50 and lid magnets 51 per container 10 and lid 20.
Thus, the containers 10 and lids 20 still interface, but are offset.
Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result.
It is believed that the system and method as described and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
6831541 | Seidler | Dec 2004 | B1 |
20140069915 | Reyes | Mar 2014 | A1 |
20140251867 | Castaneda | Sep 2014 | A1 |