Patent Application
20100195432
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lids for general purpose containers, which are typically cylindrical, to adapt such containers for mixing fluid contents and dispensing the contents by pouring.
2. Background of the Invention
Consumer, commercial, industrial, and institutional products may be provided in commonly used or standard sizes. For example, five gallon plastic buckets are frequently used by retailers and others to contain detergents, building materials, paint, and other products. These buckets are typically quite sturdy and are retained by users after the original contents have been consumed. These buckets may be utilized for storage, transport of tools, materials, and other objects, and may be utilized for preparing small quantities of consumable materials.
One use for such buckets is preparation of plaster, cement, concrete, mortar, and grout for use in small construction or repair projects. While such buckets are economical if reused in this manner, and provide a convenient device for mixing up materials for small construction and repair projects, they nonetheless have certain shortcomings.
One problem is that it is not easy to pour a very small quantity of mixed fluid material from a standard five gallon bucket. Another is that the materials cited above generate considerable dust until they are fully mixed with the liquid, such as water, which they must be blended.
There exists a need in the prior art for rendering standard containers more suitable for mixing and pouring blended fluid products which have been mixed therein.
In one aspect, the present invention provides an accessory for standard and other containers which address the above stated needs. In another aspect, the present invention provides a way to mix materials in standard and other containers while suppressing dust or liquids.
A cover adapted to close a container may have openings to pass the shaft of a paddle type blender, so that materials may be mixed inside container using a mixer while still being mostly closed. An opening enables materials to be poured under control from the container or into a container and to view the progress of the mixing. Optional openings enable a vacuum device to be connected to the container during blending or mixing so that dust or liquids may be collected and suppressed. The optional openings may be formed by pre-scored lines so that they may be removed by force, leaving openings of predetermined locations and configuration. The optional opening may be separated or concentric. The optional openings may be provided with resilient plugs so they may be repeatedly used and reclosed.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a cover for a container which enables a mixing device to penetrate the cover, thereby conducting blending while the cover closes the container.
Another object of the invention is to form a pouring guide in the cover of the container.
A further object of the invention is to promote containment or suppression of dust or liquid while blending materials within a container.
Still another object of the invention is to convert pre-existing standard containers to the purpose of mixing and pouring fluids while enabling suppression of dust and liquids.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
The cover 10 may have a central opening 18 which passes entirely through the platform 12. The central opening 18 may be located coaxially with the opening and receptacle of the container 2. As depicted, the central axis 6 of the container 2 also defines the center of the central opening 18. The platform may also be angled toward the central opening 18 to assist in materials being added to the container. This angled platform will allow materials to “drain” toward the central opening 18 like a funnel and into the container 2 (not shown).
A peripheral opening 20 located generally at the periphery of the platform 12 may be used as a pouring spout to dispense materials (not shown) which have been mixed in the container 2, for adding materials to the container 2, and for viewing the progress of the mixing. It will be seen that the peripheral opening 20 is longer along the circumference of the container 2 than it is in the radial direction. The radial direction is defined as starting at the center of the cover and extending towards the outer wall 8 of the container 2 in a direction perpendicular to the axis 6. It is contemplated that the peripheral opening 20 may be of any shape sufficient for the purpose of pouring materials from the container, adding materials to the container, or viewing the progress of the mixing within the container.
A short wall 22 may project from the platform 12 along at least part of the periphery of the platform 12 outside the peripheral opening 20 on the outer side of the platform 12, as shown in
A mounting lip 24 may project from the inner side 14 of the platform 12. The mounting lip 24 extends from the platform 12 in a direction opposite from that of the short wall 22. As depicted in
The platform 12 may occupy a plane which is oriented out of perpendicularity with the short wall 22, as shown in
As described above, the central opening 18 and peripheral opening 20 go through the platform 12 of the cover, however, it is contemplated that the two opening can be in the state of prescored frangible closures that may be broken away from the platform 12 by force, such as by impact of a hammer or cut away with a blade (not shown) to the form respective central opening 18 and peripheral opening 20. This structure is described further below with respect to additional openings.
Two additional openings may be formed in the cover 10 if desired. Each one of the two additional openings may be formed as prescored frangible closures 26, 28 formed in the platform 12. Each prescored frangible closure 26 or 28 may be broken away from the platform 12 by force, such as by impact of a hammer or cut away with a blade (not shown) to form respective first and second additional openings, such as the openings of
Preferably, the prescored frangible closure 26 and the resultant opening which would be formed by removal of the closure 26 is of cross sectional area which is different from those of the closure 28. The prescored frangible closures 26, 28 and their resultant openings may be circular as depicted, with different diameters 30, 32 (see
In
Regardless of the arrangement of the mounting lip, such as the mounting lips 24, 124, 224, a cover according to at least one aspect of the present invention, such as the cover 10, may be circular, and dimensioned and configured to engage and fit to a standard generally cylindrical five gallon pail having an exterior diameter of about eleven and one half inches to twelve inches at the opening. Alternatively, dimensions of a cover such as the cover 10 may be modified so that the resultant cover is dimensioned and configured to engage and fit to a standard generally cylindrical one gallon paint can having an exterior diameter of about six and one half inches to seven inches at the opening.
Dust may be further suppressed by installing a plug such as the plugs 34 and 36 into any unused opening formed in the cover 10.
The invention may be viewed as a method of suppressing dust when mixing a powdered product with a liquid in a container, as described with reference to
The present invention is susceptible to modifications and variations which may be introduced thereto without departing from the inventive concepts. For example, although the invention has been described with respect to containers which are circular in cross section, such as the container 2, a cover according to at least one aspect of the invention may be configured to cooperate with other containers, such as rectangular, rectangular with radiused or rounded corners, and others.
Also, substances being mixed may be other than powder. Paint, fertilizer compositions, soil compositions, adhesives, solvents, lubricants, hardenable substances such as binary epoxy compositions, clay and other slurries, foods, and still other substances may be mixed using the novel apparatus and method steps described herein.
It would also be possible to mix particulate materials, such as seeds, ceramic glazing compositions, particulate or pellet plastic feedstock, and others, in the absence of liquids using the novel apparatus and method or both.
Dust containment or suppression need not play a role in using the present invention. The novel apparatus may be utilized to provide, together with an open container, a convenient receptacle for mixing a fluid mixture, pouring a fluid mixture, or both.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible.
